The Good Life
by Anya3
Summary: Tori's just looking to escape her past with her brother Tai, but running into Dom was never part of the plan.
1. The Good Life

THE GOOD LIFE   
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Disclaimer: I don't own Vin or Jordan or any of the other things from The Fast and the Furious. I only own Tai,Tori and my imagination! LUv yall!   
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Main cast:  
D O M I N I C........Vin Diesel  
T O R I.......Anya Rene  
T A I.......Kyle Draper  
M I A........Jordan Brewster  
A N G E L A........Aj Angel  
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    As the driver stepped out of the car, paying no attention to any
    of his crew, he looked her over, studying her profile for later info. She was
    about 5'9, about 6 inches shorter than he was and wore her hair up in a white
    glittering clip. Her hair an unnatural though natural looking, blond, he could
    already see the roots of deep brown growing out and looked like it would be
    long when let down. She had sky blue eyes that were squinted with the sun
    and a medium sized body. Not slim, but not overly large. She looked like
    she didn't belong in a city like this, but niether did many of the people that
    lived here. She wore brown jeans that fit like a glove and a light green tank
    top with a sleevless black leather jacket over it, shorter than the shirt
    underneith. She also wore brown leather zip-up ankle boots with three inch
    heels. Over all she was a new sight to the crew. He had a funny feeling
    Letty wouldn't have liked her. But business is business, he thought.
    "Can I help you?" he asked. Most times noone came to this garage
    unless it was for exotic or racing parts or they were completely lost.
    Either way, they were business he took.
    She could feel his eyes on her from the moment she stepped out of
    the car. She was never what any of them expected. But then again, she was
    never what she would have expected either. Lifting her head up to meet the
    man approaching her, she took the silent moment to admire his physique.
    He was well muscled, usually not what she went for in a guy, but he was
    different. He had a shaved head and amazing features. He stood at about
    6'3, 6'4 she figured and he walked like he knew the stage loved him. She
    could only imagine what he looked like when his ass was to her. Resisting
    the urge to lick her lips at that though, Tori simply gave him a small
    'innocent' smile.
    "Can I help you?" God even his voice was incredible.
    "Yeah, actually. I was wondering if you knew a cheap place that my
    brother and I could hook up our trailer?" she asked in her kindest out-of-
    town voice. True they were only about 200 miles from home, but no reason
    not to act like it was a foreign country, she almost laughed at her own
    thought.
    It wasn't the question he was expecting. "Uh, yeah, I think there
    is one two blocks down the street on the right. Rents for twenty five dollars
    a night." he answered preparing to return to his work.
    "I was also wondering where I could get a new exhaust valve and
    replacment NOS intigrator for an RX-7." she said with a small grin.
    Dominic stopped dead in his tracks and turned to her, looking her
    over with undisguised interest. What in the world would she be doing
    with racing equiptment. Or even knowing about it. But then again, there had
    been Letty. She had known and Mia too. But they were....were family.
    This would be interesting. Maybe he could make more of a profit than he
    had origionally thought as an idea came to him.
    "Yeah, actually, we deal in those parts." he said walking back to
    her and wiping his hands on a rag before sticking it in his back pocket
    and extending his hand. "I'm Dominic. Dominic Torretto. At your
    service..." he deliberatly left it open.
    "Whitton. Tori Whitton." she replied taking his hand and shaking
    it. Hmm, strong. Turning, she motioned to the person in the car to get
    out as well. Dominic watched as a teenage boy got out of the car and walked
    toward them. He had dark brown spiked hair. Some of them had the remnents
    of white on them from where the boy had obviously tried bleaching his
    hair. It looked interesting. He wore an Adidas shirt and kahki pants with
    Dockers. He came up and took Dominic's hand as well. Yeah, he could definiatly
    see this one racing, but the girl?
    "And this is Tai. My brother."
    
    "You said you needed a place for hookup?" at her nod he continued.
    "Tell you what, I'll give you a deal. I'll help get you and install those
    parts AND I have a hookup round back that I can let you use for only ten
    bucks a day. All I want in exchange is the money for the parts and to know
    how the hell you two came apon racing....especially with those parts you
    requested. Most women I know wouldn't even know what those were, let alone
    ask to buy them. I assume you were going to install yourself?" he nodded
    toward the car being pulled along behind the trailer.
    Placing her hands on her hips in a relaxed gesture and nodding,
    Tori smiled. "Well, most women I know don't race." she replied with a secretive
    grin. "And thank you for the offer. I think we'll try that out. Sure beats
    twenty five a night."
    
    After pulling the trailer and car around back, Tori watched as Tai
    went to unhook the trailer from the racer. She felt before she saw Dominic
    come up beside her.
    "How old is he?" he asked, nodding toward Tai, who was busily working
    at the interlocked metal.
    "Fifteen three months ago. I kinda feel sorry for him. Being around
    all of this, learning and never really able to do it. Stupid laws. Sure he
    can drive a Motorcycle, but that's nothing compared to the cars he's been
    eyeing like a dog without a bone. He practically drools." Tori snorted.
    Dom chuckled. "Yeah, it's hard getting started. So, what about you?
    How in the world did YOU of all people get started in something like this. Not
    that I doubt your abilities. It's just you look like you don't belong in
    something like this. You look like you were born for the better life." he
    said turning to her.
    Again, an unladylike snort came from Tori and she rolled her eyes
    before turning to him, her dark sunglasses covering her eyes. "Yeah well,
    that may have been the case at first, but you have to live with what you got.
    I love the race. It's my life...and his too soon," she nodded at Tai who was
    nearly done. "It's how we live."
    "So you race for the money?"
    "Yeah. That's part of it of course, but it's also for the rush.
    Racing, especially street racing, has an adrenaline rush you can't get
    doing anything else. Hell, I'd say even sex just might pale to it." she
    laughed, not noticing his amused gaze as she walked over to her brother,
    arms crossed.
    
    He watched as she talked to Tai, then helped him hook up the
    trailer's utilities.
    ***
    "So, how exactly DID you get into racing?" Dominic asked as he
    and Tori sat in lawn chairs just outside the trailer. Tai sat beside them
    not paying attention, but racing his own mini sized cars on his gameboy(tm).
    Tori sighed and sat back, relaxing under the shade of the canvas that
    stretched out six feet over their heads.
    "Well, when I was a little girl my father loved cars. He used
    to teach me all about them and take me to work with him. He was a pit hand
    at the local racing course. Hently Speedway. Real little place just
    outside of Los Angeles, about thirty miles. I remember he used to take me to
    work with him, show me off to the guys and the racers. I even remember once
    when they put me in the car while it was off and let me have a 'go'. They
    taught me everything about cars and how to race them. Daddy said I was gonna
    be one of the best women racers that ever lived. He was so proud of us.
    Those were some of the best years of my life. And when Tai was born it just
    got better." she smiled reaching over to press her hand down on her
    brothers head, which just moved away. Smiling she continued."But it
    didn't last. Nothing that good ever does I suppose."
    
    "What happened?" Dom asked, leaning forward and clasping his
    hands.
    "The worst day of my life happened. Tai was only four when it
    happened so it's vague to him, but me, I was 13, old enough to remember
    it in detail for the rest of my life. Sometimes I wish I weren't able to
    remember it so damned well, but it's there, permenatly burned into my
    memory." Tori paused and her mind seemed to drift back into time as she
    spoke. "It had been a routine day for us, drop daddy off at the races
    and then get dropped off ourselves at the daycare while mom went to
    work. I was a little old for the place but I insisted, always wanting to
    take care of Tai. I wouldn't leave his side." she smied briefly, "Anyways,
    four o'clock came and went and still no parents. It was around five thirty
    I think that the one of the owners of the daycare came to get us. She said
    she needed to talk to me and that maybe I could help explain it to my brother.
    I had no clue what she was talking about. So, she took me into her office and
    there were these men there. They were police men and I remember wondering
    what was wrong. I had only seen them on occasion when someone got hurt."
    Pausing again, Tori sighed, feeling the pain well up in her chest as she
    finished. "I think I knew before they actually told me. They said it had
    happened so quickly that they were sure mom and dad didn't feel a thing
    before they passed. The other driver that had hit them wasn't so lucky. He
    suffered an amputated leg and a few broken bones.....He was arrested for
    involuntary manslaughter and severe DUI when he was released, but he broke
    bail not too long afterwards. Last I knew he had split town and wasnt' coming
    back. After that, Tai and I were sent to a foster home, but that didnt'
    last long. The people that were supposed to be our parents took off whenever
    they felt like it and left us alone for as long as a week at a time.
    Sometimes longer. So, about two years later on the day of my birthday, I
    grabbed Tai, one of their many cars that I knew would get us the farthest
    the fastest, took some food and split. We've been on the road since. When
    we can't get money from racing, we do it with odd jobs or the little donations
    we can get. That's how we can afford to eat and to keep going." sighing
    yet again, Tori looked up at Dom, wiping her eyes. "And there you
    have it. Our life story. I know it's not exactly flowers and rainbows,
    but its all we've got." she smiled sadly.
    Reaching over, Dom pat her hand. "I'm sure you do just fine. I'm
    pretty damn amazed you made it this far without loosing it. I don't
    know if I could have lasted that long, especially with someone else besides
    me to look after. I mean I have Mia, but she's a grown woman and I know she'd
    be fine on her own." then he added with a smile."I'm glad you ended up here.
    Glad I got to meet someone like you."
    Tori smiled then stood. "Well, we'd better get going if we want to
    find a place to eat. Come on, Tai." she said, tapping her brother on his
    head.
    "Yeah, yeah, I"m comin." he grumbled, not looking up from his
    game.
    Dom sat for a moment before standing. "Hey!"
    Turning back, Tori covered her eyes from the sun. "Yeah?"
    "Why don't you come over to our place. Mia and I can make you guys
    something good. Something homemade. Not that cheap fast food shit." he
    grinned.
    "Well, with a smile like that who could resist?" Tori laughed,
    walking back toward him.
    ***
    "So where are you two from?" Mia asked the girl and her brother.
    Her own brother had brought two strangers in for dinner, the least he
    could do was let her know a little about them. So far all she knew was
    their names and that they were brother and sister. Oh and that they raced.
    "Little town about Thirty miles from L.A. Hentlyvillle. I'm sure
    you haven't heard of it. Population is pretty near none." Tori laughed.
    "Can you pass the corn, please?" Tai asked through a full mouth
    which got him a glare to which he simply shrugged and ignored. Mia laughed
    at this as Tori replied. "Sometimes he can be a handfull."
    "Aren't all brothers?" Mia laughed to which Dominic mumbled a
    'hey!' around his food. Tori laughed and stood with Mia, grabbing a few
    of the empty plates to help her take them into the kitchen.
    Tai looked at Dom and nodded the direction the girls had gone then
    rolled his eyes. Dominic gave an answering smirk. "Interesting sister
    you got there."
    "Yeah, she's interesting alright. Kinda wonder if she's a little
    crazy." Tai snickered.
    "Nah, she's just looking out for you. I know how hard that's gotta
    be, especially on the move all the time. You two move around alot don't
    you?"
    "Yeah, I don't think we've ever stayed in one place for more than
    two months at a time. It's always 'gotta move' or 'there isn't any more
    money for us here' or 'there's something better out there, Tai, I just
    know it.'. She's always gotta be on the move, she's always searching for
    something. I think she's still searching for dad." at the look he got, Tai
    elaborated. "I mean, she has this thing. This...theory if you will. She
    thinks that if she goes fast enough she's gonna see him again. On some
    level she's gonna be able to be with him for a minute. I don't think she can
    face the reality that it's not gonna happen. He's gone." Tai sighed,
    looking back toward where his sister went.
    "It's gotta be a little easier for you, not really knowing him or
    anything." Dom said understanding.
    "Yeah, I mean, she talks about him every now and then and you'd
    think he was a god. I wish I had gotten to know him. Maybe then I'd
    understand this little quest of hers." Tai paused. "It may just be that
    she doesn't even really think he's gone. After all this time she still
    may think they all got it wrong and their out there somewhere, waiting
    for her...for us to come." he dropped his now bare chicken bone down
    on his plate.
    Dominic looked at Tai, then to where his sister and Tori had
    gone. Now he understood a little more. That would help. There were still
    alot of things he wanted to know, but there was time. He had a feeling she
    wasn't going anywhere soon.
    Tori awoke to the sounds of machinery whirring outside. Ratchets,
    electric bolt screws and various other mechanical noises roused her
    from her peaceful dream. In an attempt to block it out, Tori moaned and
    flipped over onto her stomach, covering her head with her pillow. In the
    process, she knocked half of the covers off of the bed and her bare leg was
    hit with the cold air of the fan blowing through the trailer. It had become
    a nightly thing to turn it on because the metal trailer felt like an
    oven during the night. With a small screech, she reached down off the
    bed for the rest of the covers, scooting carelessly closer to the side of
    the pulldown bed. Not being awake enough to judge the distance she was
    scooting, Tori screeched as she was caught off guard being on the edge
    of the bed and fell with a loud thud to the floor. She quickly sat up, her
    left shoulder and lower right leg covered in the thick comforter she had been
    grasping for. Her hair was strewn all across her face and shoulders. The
    door swung open and Dom, Tai and Mia rushed in.
    It was then that Tori remembered that she slept in a night shirt
    and panties, which just happened to be leopard pattern. She gave a
    small squeak as they came to a hault, wide eyes at seeing her sitting on
    the floor, three feet down from the bed, knees up and partially open as her
    feet were spread for balance and leaning back on her hands, hair everywhere
    as well as comforter benieth her and part on her. In the next few seconds,
    Mia turned red, Dominic turned, eyes wide and stepped out of the trailer and
    Tai burst out laughing, bending over and grabbing his stomach. Tori turned
    red and stood quickly, wrapping the comforter around her waist. Mia grabbed
    the laughing Tai and gave Tori an amused and sympathetic look before
    exiting the trailer with a still giggling Tai behind her.
    With a sigh, she plopped down on the edge of the bed, again misjudging
    the distance and bounced right back on to the floor on her ass. Simply putting
    her head down to let out a snorting laugh, Tori realized this would be
    one of those days.
    "Interesting way of getting our attention this morning." Dominic
    commented in the afternoon as Tori and he bent over the inside of her car,
    installing new and upgraded parts. Truth was, he couldn't get the image
    of her laying there with nothing but her panties and that small tshirt on,
    out of his mind. Tori immediatly turned an interesting shade of red, making
    him laugh. Putting a hand on her shoulder, he simply smiled and shook his
    head then stood and walked around to the Pepsi machine to grab them both a
    drink. He pushed a button and banged his fist into the box, grinning as his
    drink fell into the slot. Grabbing it, he did it once more then headed back,
    handing Tori hers before going back to the car. Tori had dressed in blue
    jeans that were fading and a dark blue tank top, her hair up in a ponytail.
    Tai came running in and stopped behind them. He almost tripped on
    his shoelaces, which were untied. He had on knee-length tan shorts with
    unnumbered pockets and a green t-shirt. "Hey Tigger Butt."He said to his
    sister in reguard to her underwear that morning. Tori glared at him as Dom
    laughed and wiped his hands on a red rag."Hey, Dom, there's some chic out
    there askin for ya. She has the coolest pink bug....not that I like pink,
    just the bug." Tai quickly put in, making Tori smile, then follow as Dominic
    made his way out to the front of the garage. There, leaning against an
    Easter pink 2001 Volkswagon Beetle was a girl about Tori's height. She
    wore short black jean short, combat boots with two inch platform bottoms
    and a light blue unbuttoned shirt over a white tube top. Her dark dirty
    blond hair reached down to her shoulders and curled outward a bit. A smile
    was on her face as Dom approached. She pulled off her oval RayBan sunglasses
    and stuck one of the earpeices down inside her shirt, effectivly letting the
    glasses hang in front of her bust. She crossed her arms.
    "So how come you never call me, Dom? I gave you my number you
    know." she grinned.
    "Yeah, well, got lots of things to do, work, race....you know." he
    grinned back, crossing his arms as well.
    Tori watched with amusment and slight jealousy as this woman openly
    flirted with Dominic. He obviously knew her well enough to smile when
    she did.
    "Yeah, that's true, lots of shit going down lately. Especially
    with these stupid cars, you know, they just keep messin up on me,
    bringin me back here all the time. Not that I mind seeing you, cause, "
    she looked him up and down purposly taking her time "I don't." she grinned
    almost evilly.
    Dominic rolled his eyes. "Get to the point, Angela."
    "Yeah, yeah. It's this bug. It's bumpin. Jerkin me nearly out
    of my seat. So I thought I'd bring it in to you to see if you knew what was
    doin it. Do whatever you need to, you know I got all the money I need."
    she gave that seductive smile again.
    Dom walked around to the front of the car and popped the hood up,
    propping it up on the small stand. Leaning over into the car, he moved
    his hands around a bit checking with his eyes and hands for what was
    wrong. Angela walked over and stood unnervingly close, her shorts riding up
    purposly as she leaned forward near him, not really looking much into the
    car. Moments later, Dominic came up with a dirty spark plug in his hand.
    "Found the problem, Ang. You got a spark plug or two that need
    cleaning. Angela, you know all about cars, you could have fixed this yourself."
    he said, unamused by her attemps.
    "Yeah, but then I wouldn't have gotten the chance to see you,
    now would I?" she smiled, moving a little closer.
    He reached down and took her hand and she smiled until he placed
    the spark plug in her hand. "I've got things to do, Angela, don't fuckin
    waist my time." he said lowly. Angela frowned.
    "Yeah, like what?" she asked following him as he walked back to the
    RX-7 inside the shop where Tai still waited, looking around inside the top
    of his car. He smiled back at Dom as he smiled at him, walking up to the car
    and picking up where he left off. Angela followed still, Tori not far
    behind her, but walking at a slower pace. She kept walking toward Dom
    even when Angela stopped just inside the garage doorway. It was time
    she worked her way back into the conversation.
    "So, how's the car coming?" she asked walking around Angela up to
    the car on the right side and inspecting the engine.
    "Pretty good. Almost got the injector reinstalled. That one
    was pretty messed up. Must have been a long time since you've changed it."
    Tori laughed. "You have no idea."
    Angela crossed her arms and sighed harshly. "Well, like you
    said, got better things to do. See you at the races, Dom. And this time,
    your gonna loose," she smiled. Turning to Tori, she walked up to her.
    "I'm Angela by the way."
    Tori took her extended hand warily. "Tori." she pointed at Tai.
    "That's Tai."
    "This your ride?" Angela asked, walking part way around the car,
    very aware of the warning look Dominic was giving her and ignoring it.
    "Yeah. Sure is."
    "Nice. Gonna race it next week?"
    "Um...yeah, I guess, if it's ready by then." Tori said, starting
    to get nervous around this girl.
    "Ah well. Good luck. Your gonna need it." Angela whispered the
    last as she walked by Tori and out the garage door, yelling a 'bye, Dom'
    on her way. Moments later, a reving engine could be hear then the sqeal
    of tires as she left.
    Tori walked out of the garage to let Dom do his work and over to
    where Mia leaned against the pole outside by her trailer.
    "What was that?" Tori asked in a quiet voice.
    "That? That was Angela doing what she THINKS she does best." Mia
    laughed. "She's been after Dom for years and she's still not comin close.
    Course I wouldnt' worry about her, she's never serious. Had guys on
    and off for years now, she happy that way. Major player, but Dom never
    even thinks about her that way." Mia grinned looking over at Tori, who
    wasn't really paying attention, but staring over at where her brother was.
    She had a feeling Tori would be staying longer than the woman had
    originonally planned.
    *****
    Dominic slammed down the hood of the RX-7, now upgraded, making sure
    the top stayed down and wiped his hands togather, then turned to Tori who now
    leaned against the side of the car with her arms crossed, a small
    smile apon her lips as she sipped on her pepsi through a straw. She and Tai
    had been there now for over a week and a half. Every day they ate at Dom's
    resturaunt in front of the shop and every evening they ate at the house
    with Mia and Dom. Every night, they slept in the trailer, despite her
    new friend Mia's attempts to persuade her and Tai to sleep in extra rooms
    in the house they had had for Vinny and Jesse, who were no longer around.
    Dominic had explained the incident and how Jesse had been shot and after
    all the trouble with the group, Vincent decided it would be better to
    join Letty in Mexico.
    Tori had also learned about Dominic's last relationship and how
    terribly it ended. After sending her on a plane to Mexico, he got a call,
    about a month later, much later than he expected. She explained how she loved
    him, but if it meant watching people she loved die and being at risk of dying
    herself it just wasn't worth it. And with a 'sorry and take care of yourself
    and Mia for me', she was gone....out of his life forever. He had taken
    it pretty hard, shutting out people at first and that's when he lost
    Vincent. His friend pretty much told him the same thing Letty had and
    joined her in paradise. She felt bad for him, but knew what he needed now
    was to forget the past and look forward to the future.
    "Done." he said in a quite voice.
    Tori just stayed there smiling and rolled her eyes and her head
    off to another part of the garage, the smirk still playing on her lips.
    Dominic stood up fully from leaning over on the car and walked around,
    then leaned forward over her, placing his hands on either side of the
    car. Tori was now backed up and almost sitting on the edge of the car, her
    smile still partially in place, but fading.
    "You wanna tell me what's so funny?" he asked in a low seductive
    voice, leaning in further so that their faces were barely apart. He
    leaned forward a bit more, tilting his head and eyeing her lips, following
    her tongue as it wet them. That did it.
    Swooping in, Dominic captured her lips with his, the warmth almost
    searing him. He felt her small gasp against his lips and pressed deeper.
    She tasted so sweet, almost like a smooth liquid honey and cinnimon with the
    slightest bit of pepsi flooding off of her tongue as he touched it with
    his own.
    Tori felt the can slip from her hand and fall to the ground with a
    splat of the dark liquid inside. Her arms found their way to the sides of
    his arms,running across his thick tight muscles and ran their way tentivly
    around inside to his sides. Her long fingers gripped the sides of the sweaty
    white tank he wore. She could feel the muscles underneith it and moaned
    slightly as he slid his tongue further into her mouth. She felt his arms move
    closer to each other behind her back as he moved himself in closer, pulling
    away only slightly to reset his mouth more firmly against hers. His mouth was
    so sensual, so delicious.....
    "Hey guys!"
    Tori and Dominic abruptly broke apart as they heard Tai, just noticing
    his footsteps running toward the very open and exposed garage side. He came to
    a stop in front of the door, taking in the scene.
    "Hey, Tor, drop your coke there?" he pointed down to the fogotten can,
    spilling out Pepsi all over the floor.
    "Uh, yeah..hehe, must have slipped. Butterfingers, huh?"
    Tai looked at her weird. "Uh yea....butterfingers.
    Well hey, Mia sent me to tell you guys that lunch is almost ready. We're
    havin burgers and chips. Come on." he said, taking in the two one more time
    before shaking his head in bewilderment and running off to eat.
    Tori looked down to the ground and after a few minutes, when Dominic
    didn't leave, took a chance and glanced up at him. He had a smirk that just
    screamed trouble, but it was cute and Tori couldn't help but smile back.
    Moments later the two were sharing a light laugh and Dominic threw his arm
    around Tori's back and guided her with him to the house.
    MORE TO COME VERY SOON!......
    

  


BACK 


	2. Race Wars and Revelations


    CHAPTER 2
    "You two all packed?!" Dom yelled from outside the house. He was
    loading his stuff into the trailer on Tori's bed. They were all planning
    on using the trailer to sleep in at race wars. In the two weeks that Mia
    and he had grown to know Tori and Tai, Dominic had never felt closer
    to anyone before in such a short time except for his former friends now
    on permenent vacation in Mexico. And lately it was a blessing to have
    such friends...and more because of all of the trouble the last few years
    of his life had been giving him. Now here he was again, nearly four
    years later, racing again at Race Wars. He could still remember the last
    time like yesterday. After Jesse had stormed off....what had ended
    of him...
    "Alright, got the stuff. Ready to go, Dom?" Tori asked as she
    and Tai came out of the house. Tai darted around her and jumped up into
    the trailer. She had agreed that this one time he could sit in the
    trailer while she and Dom drove the cars. Tori was taking the RX-7
    which pulled the trailer and Dominic was taking his own Supra behind
    her. They had all agreed to sleep in the trailer. Tori said she would
    share her bed with Tai and Dom could sleep on Tai's bed, but Dom
    insisted the floor with his sleeping bags was fine and Tai completely
    disagreed for his own personal reasons to which Tori just sighed and
    mumbled 'men'.
    Taking the bags from here and coming out of his trance of
    thought, Dom lifted them up into the trailer, automatically
    laying them beside his in a neat fashion.
    Tai pulled the bags closer against the side of the camper and
    smiled at Dom who smiled back before closing and securing the
    camper door and making sure the canopy was securly fastened. Then,
    patting the side of the trailer loud enough for Tai to know they were
    ready to leave, Dominic got in his Surpa and started it up. Backing
    out far enough for Tori to pull out, he waited until she had the car
    and the trailer in the street completely before reving his engine and
    speeding up around to the left side of her car. Pressing the
    down button on the automatic window he leaned over.
    "Alright, you just follow me, ok? Try and stay close, people
    on the highway can get pretty bitchy around this time of day." he
    grinned. It was actually morning, just after 7am and they were leaving
    to get there by 10am when the races began.
    Tori laughed and rolled up her window, switching on the
    air conditioner and watching as Dominic sped up in front of them
    with easy movements. He was so at ease in his car. She followed him
    down the various to the nealy empty highway.
    During the three hour drive, the road got more crowded,but
    Tori stayed up with Dom and the two took the offroads to get to the
    races. Dominic showed off by speeding up to around fifty down the
    stretch and stopping quickly at the gates. He got smiles from the
    gate guards who handed him a wrist band and took his admission money
    before letting him pass. Tori pulled up and rolled her auto window down.
    She took the arm band and started to hand him the money.
    "Oh, that guy ahead of you payed already." the guard smiled to
    her and waved her on through.
    Tori drove on with a look of shock. "That man, I swear." she
    laughed.
    Pulling the car up backwards into a trailer parking area,
    she quickly got out and unhooked the car as Dominic made his way
    over from his parked car. Once the trailer was unhooked from
    the car, Tori hopped back in the car and parked it beside Dom's,
    then headed back toward the trailer. By then he had opened the door
    and Tai had eagerly hopped out, helping Dominic pull out the 6 foot
    canopy stretch onto the ground. Tori started pulling out the hook ups
    and plugging up water and sewage along with a few other electrical wirings.
    The announcment came not an hour later, just after everone
    had settled that the quarter mile races were beginning.
    Patting her hand on Dominic and Tai's knees, Tori grinned. "That's
    my call. See you guys in a few."
    
    Tai stood up along with Dom. "Are you kidding? We're going to
    watch you!" he grinned and ran off to the sidelines excitedly. Dominic
    laughed and shrugged walking after him as Tori laughed and headed off
    to check the car, then get in line.
    ***
    Tori reved up her engine, looking to the meters, making
    sure everything was in working condition when she hear a whistle from
    beside her. Looking up and over she spotted the grinning face of
    Angela.
    'Oh great' Tori thought, 'I have to race her.'
    "Like I said before, Good luck cause your gonna need it!"
    She yelled then laughed as she rolled up the black tinted window of
    her blood red Dodge Viper 2001. She also pumped her engine and turned
    back to switch on the little NOS tank in the back. 'No need for the larger
    ones, she thought, 'this is gonna be a breeze'.
    Turning up her stereo on the song 'Ready to go', Angela
    gleefully bounced slightly in the seat, gripping the steering wheel
    in anticipation.
    Tori on the other hand was now nervous as all hell and she
    knew that could cost her this race and Dom's two grand he'd loaned her
    for the race. She knew he wouldn't care about the money, but she
    did. It had cost all of them togather two thou to get into the Race
    wars for each car racing. That took enough off her hide as it was.
    Sighing in frustration, she turned on the small NOS tanks that Dom
    had reinstalled behind her seat. A sudden knock on her window made her
    jump before moving the window down to reveal Dominic's smiling face.
    "Jumpy today? Whatever could make you jumpy?" he laughed and
    leaned out of her swat range. "Listen, " he said leaning against
    the rim of the window and slightly inside the car, "Angela just does
    this to make everyone nervous-"
    
    "Well it's working." Tori groaned, looking over to him.
    "Tori, "he took her chin in his hand, "don't let her get to
    you. Angela is very predictable. She may seem like a bitch now, but
    if you win, she'll be pissed for a minute and then respect you the
    rest of her life. So win, Tori. Do it for yourself." he grinned and
    before she could protest leaned in kissing her quickly on her lips.
    Tori sighed as he left. He was right. She needed to win.
    She would win. She will win. Feeling herself start to pump up, she let
    her windows roll up and gripped the steering wheel watching the
    flagger as he waved his arms to signal the two to 'be ready'. Moments
    later the flags went down and the two cars, Tori's and Angela's burnt
    out, taking off at top speed. Down the quarter mile stretch the two
    sped, even with each other. Angela looked over angrily and pushed her
    first NOS, as did Tori who seconds before the end pressed her
    second release and gave out a whoop as she sped past Angela and the
    finish line. Angela watched as both Tori and hers cars came to a stop
    and she sat there a moment, not moving before getting out and walking
    toward Tori's car, which was farther stopped ahead that hers. Tori
    was leaning against her car, her eyes shut thanking whatever god or
    goddess was up there she had done it.
    "Well." Angela started, bringing Tori to look up at her. "That
    was refreshing. Never been beat so quickly before. I must say I'm
    impressed. But one of these days girl, I'm gonna beat you. "She smiled.
    Tori laughed. "You can try."
    "What'd you say your name was again?" Angela asked, sheilding
    her eyes and moving closer to stand beside Tori as Dominic and Tai
    made their way out to the finish line.
    "Tori. Tori Whitton." she grinned and took Angela's hand
    again. "and your Angela. Don't believe I got a last name..."
    Angela smiled. "Cause I didn't give it to you, but it's Mooreland."
    "Good to properly meet you." Tori laughed to which Angela gave
    a her own answering laugh.
    "See? I told you she was harmless." Dom laughed and
    greeted Tori with a hug. "Congrats. Won your first Race War race.
    That rarely happens. " he smiled into her hair as he lifted her,
    spinning her once, making her laugh before setting her back on her feet.
    "Hey folks, I'm gonna need ya'll to move your cars for the
    next race k?" the end flagger said before walking back to his post.
    The four got into their respective group cars and drove back
    around. Tori parked the car in the lot not far from the races beside
    Dom's for the later racing time before heading back around to the
    trailer and hopped inside with Dom, leaving the door open. Tai stayed
    outside the trailer, watching the racers as they drove up to the line
    to begin their quarter mile races. Tori had flat out refused his request
    to try the races, saying it was too dangerous and he wasn't ready. Yet
    she and Dom raced. He didn't get it. Sitting down in a wicker lounge
    chair, Tai sighed under the heat of the sun even though he was
    under a sheild. The temperature was an extra ten degrees or more
    due to the amout of hot metal and pavement roasting out in the
    sunlight. Looking back to the cars speeding down the quarter mile he
    stood, leaning against a canopy post. These were the races where you
    simply drove up with your wrist band and.....
    Tai looked over suddenly, remembering that Tori had layed
    her wrist band on the table just outside the door. If he could get to it....
    ***
    Dominic jumped off the step to the ground just outside the
    trailer. He had offered to go get Tori, Tai and him a drink because
    of the heat and there was a pretty cheap Pepsi machine around the
    corner from the trailer parking. The moment he stepped out of the
    trailer to ask Tai what he wanted, he realised the boy was missing.
    Walking around the trailer, he called out for the kid. "Tai?
    Tai where'd you go to man?" Looking around the grounds he suddenly
    spotted Tai's RX-7 that Tori had used to race heading in line for the
    races. Gasping he turned to look back toward where the car had been
    parked beside his and sure enough it was gone. Turning to the table
    beside the trailer on instinct, he realized that Tai menat to use
    Tori's band to get into the races.
    Dashing out toward where the cars were lined up, he saw he
    didn't have much time as Tai was only three away from racing. Darting
    between the cars and people, accidentally almost tripping over
    some trash a few times, Dominic finally made his way to the car and
    came skidding to a stop on the other side of it, banging on the
    roof of the car.
    Tai jumped and rolled down the window, sighing in frustration as
    he saw Dom there.
    "What the hell do you think your doin?!" Dom yelled over the
    reving of the cars in front and behind of Tai's.
    "What does it look like I'm doing Dom? I'm racing! Look,
    Tori's never gonna let me race unless I show her I CAN race! This is my
    chance Dom!"
    "Your chance?! To what? Get killed?!" he asked, moving with
    the car as Tai pulled up. Looking up he saw there was now only one car
    in front of Tai, waiting it's turn, then he was stuck. Sure enough there
    was no way that he could get out of it. A man with a metal clipper came
    over to the car, ignoring Dom and taking a look at the band on Tai's
    wrist before waving him on to let the flagger know this one was ok
    to go.
    "Dom, get back." Tai said lowly.
    "Tai-"
    Tai leaned out the side of the window, jerking on his buckle once
    more to make sure it was secure. "Forget it Dom, your not talking me out
    of this one. So just STEP BACK." Tai growled before rolling up his
    window, ignoring Dom's protests completely.
    Dominic, seeing that Tai isn't going to listen to him and has
    indeed already gotten into the races, runs toward the silver trailer
    that Tori was in. Apon reaching the trailer, Dom threw open the door and
    rushed inside, nearly scaring Tori into a heart attack.
    "Fuck, Dom, what was that about! You scared me!" Tori said,
    spinning on her heels with a cold look in her eyes.
    "Tai is out on the race field. He's up next. I think he's really
    gonna race. Just thought you might want to save his ass." he said,
    huffing from his mad dash to the trailer.
    "WHAT?!" Tori yelled, dashing out of the trailer to rush
    towards the drag track.
    The engines of the cars reved as the prepared, then the two racers
    sped off at top speed as the markers arms came down, signaling the start
    of the quarter mile race. Tori ran to the side lines where the crowds
    were forced to stop and screamed out at Tai's car as it went racing by
    only ten feet from her. Tai, she could tell, saw, but couldn't stop now
    even if he wanted too. He had placed nearly a thousand on this one race.
    Most of their money.
    Dom grabbed Tori's arms to keep her from jumping over the
    rope as she struggled to get to her brother who was speeding away at a
    high rate. His grip was tight and he held her close, lest he loose her
    to the crowd or the security guards.
    "I'm gonna kill that boy." he heard her murmer as she calmed down,
    watching the cars get closer to their destination.
    Tai took a quick look over at his opponent as he sped up. They
    were nearly to the end. Neck and neck. Now was his chance. Pressing
    down on the valve release, he let loose with the first tank of NOS, knowing
    that was all he needed. The car jolted and picked up tremendous speed as
    it waifed passed the other and over the finish line. Letting out a
    tremendous whoop, Tai let the car slow, then applied the brakes till
    he came to full stop. Stepping out of the car, he watched in amusment
    as the loser slamed his fist into the steering wheel of his own car.
    Jumping up in excitment, Tai laughed and smiled as he saw his sister and
    Dominic coming toward him. His smile faded as he saw Tori speed up and
    the look on her face one the said 'You are so dead'. Jumping, he ran
    behind his car as his sister came around the other side.
    "Come 'ere Tai. Get your ass over here or I swear to God...!"
    Tori dashed after Tai, chasing him around his RX-7 , swiping for him on
    every turn. "Tai, damnit, stand still. I'm not going to kill you." she
    yelled.
    
    Finally giving in, Tai slowed to a stop in front of Dominic
    who had a 'you made a big mistake' smirk on his face. He quickly realized
    his mistake as Tori came around the back of the car and smacked him
    up the backside of his head, then got in his face.
    "Do you have any idea how many years you've just taken off of
    my life! Tenty one! One because he", points to Dom who puts his hands up
    in defense, "scared me shitless jumping into our trailer and the other
    twenty because of YOU! Do you realize how worried I was! You could have
    killed yourself! You've never done anything like that, you could have lost
    control!" she yelled.
    "But I didn't! I told you! I know what I'm doing. I've been
    watching you for so many goddamned years, I should know by now! You've
    been teaching me, so how could I have failed! I won! That's the point!"
    Tai yelled back.
    "He's right. He did win after all." Dom started to put in.
    "Shut up, Dom!" Tori yelled before turning back to her brother.
    "That's not important. Winning is not everything! If I've taught you
    anything, it should be that!"
    "If you've taught me anything, it's that winning is everything!
    Especially in the race!" Tai yelled before stalking off to grab his prize.
    Tori looked taken aback for a moment before standing and walking
    away, no expression on her face. Sighing, Dom followed them as Tai's car
    was pulled back to the after center for them.
    ***
    Tai plopped down in the lawn chair watching as the other cars started
    their own quarter mile drags. He paid no attention to his sister who did the
    same to him before walking back into their trailer and slamming the door shut.
    Dominic came up and placed a hand on his shoulder, patting it lightly
    before walking to the trailer. Cautiously opening the door, he peered in,
    suprised to find her sitting on the bed looking out the window at Tai,
    silent tears running down her cheeks as she watched her brother wallow
    in his anger. Dom sighed to himself, knowing how a sibling could nearly
    kill your nerves. Walking over to her, he sat on the bed, catching her
    attention. She quickly turned to him and wiped her tears.
    "He just makes me so crazy sometimes, ya know? I mean, I try I
    really do, but he takes these things so carelessly. One of these days
    I just know he's..." Tori again broke down in useless sobs and Dominic
    pulled her against him, running his hand over her hair as he too looked
    out the window at Tai.
    "Guess he feels he has to prove something to you. That he's not
    little anymore. That's how guys are. I'm pretty much the same way with
    Mia, but I don't know what I'd do if I lost her either." Dominic
    tried to comfort her fears, but knew she had to face the risks her
    brother took sooner or later. He understood the fear that she was going
    through having gone through the same with Mia, but also he knew he
    couldn't know it as well. He had friends to help him watch over her and
    she had been around them all the time during the years of training and
    learning. Tai however was Tori's only family. If she lost him, she lost
    everything that was worth living for. Tai was her life. It had to be
    tough.
    Squeezing Tori tighter in his grip, Dominic sighed, letting her
    know in his silent way that he wasn't going anywhere. Tori pulled away
    from him after a few moments and looked up into his soft brown eyes.
    Dominic stared into her own blue ones and searched, seeing her emotions
    through the pools. Unable to help himself, Dom leaned down and gently
    pressed his lips to hers, hearing her sigh as he moved closer after a
    moment. Her hand ran up his arm to his back and on up to his neck,
    pulling him in closer to the kiss. Tori felt like she were drowning in
    the kiss, loosing herself in the one man in all these years who wasn't
    intimidated or run off by her. Noone had ever gotten this close before
    and she'd be damned if she would loose the chance now. She felt his hands
    in her hair, pulling her head closer as he let his tongue gently flow
    into her mouth to dance with hers for a moment before they both reluctantly
    pulled away.
    Leaning her head back to look into his eyes again, Tori smiled.
    "Thank you, Dominic. Don't know what we do without you here. Tai and me."
    "You two would be fine. You've raced before-"
    "But not like this. This is different. And with Tai out there
    now.....I need you around, amazing as that is, me needing anyone. I
    never thought I'd need anyone's help, anyone's friendship. Never
    thought I'd need anyone period. But here you are, and here I need you. I
    don't think I'd even know where to begin if we were alone in this." she
    said turning her head close to his chest to look back out at her brother
    who now stood near the edge of the canopy not far from the trailer, watching
    others race. "He's so young, but he's so old. Does that make sense?"
    Tori turned to look back up at Dominic.
    His smile was all the answer she needed as he ran his hand along
    the side of her face through her hair. "Yeah. I get ya." he said before
    kissing her again.
    "We'd better get back out there. The half mile races are coming up
    and I entered for that. And I know you did the same." Tori said taking his
    hand and pulling him with her to the door to the outside. He pulled
    her into his arms for one more brief kiss before they opened the door and
    made their way out into the sunny day, shades pulled down to shield their
    eyes.
    Tori came to stand beside her brother, neither looking at the other,
    but both knowing the other was aware of them. Tori sighed staring out at
    the racers walking, racing, talking....they were all so excited. Noone
    had a clue of the domestic problems of each other or of one anothers
    lives.
    "I'm sorry." The words sounded so loud in her head, but in reality
    they were barely loud enough for Tai to hear. He heard them though. His head
    fell and he stared down at the dirt, kicking at it.
    
    "Yeah, well...." he started.
    "No, Tai, I'm serious." Tori turned toward her brother, her bare arm
    rising to place her hand on the faded white pole holding the canopy up
    from the campers edge. She looked at him through her dark sunglasses,
    lowering her face so he could see her eyes, then raising them again,
    "I'm sorry. I should have thought about what I was getting you into.
    I didnt' think when I brought you along."
    "I had nowhere else to go. And I wouldn't have gone anywhere even if
    there were a place. I always wanted to stay with you. Your my family, Tori,
    that's why I came." Tai said, turning to her, suddenly looking much older than
    Tori remembered.
    "But I shouldn't have exposed you to this shit so early. I mean,
    damn Tai, your 15 and already your winning races. That's scary. Your
    supposed to have your whole life in front of you, but when you do this,
    what I do...you put your entire life on the line along with everything else."
    she sighed.
    "I know that Tor, but I don't care. It's worth it, for the speed,
    for the rush I get everytime that dial hits 90 and up, I feel like I'm the
    most powerful person in the world. Like noone can touch me. Hell, I
    don't even care about the money anymore, it's just the race. And you. That's
    all I need anymore. Without you two, it's not worth anything to be around."
    Tai said before walking into the trailer for water, shutting the door behind
    him.
    Again Tori was struck by what he had said. She had thought it was
    about the money for him. She had told him that was what she was in it
    for. And at first it was......but then...it just became the speed,
    the adrenaline. Everything else but the race and Tai was nothing to her.
    And now that Dominic was in her life, she had three things to live for.
    She completely understood what Tai meant when he said that otherwise it
    wasn't worth it. She knew he was ready...and that was the hardest part to
    come to terms with.
    

NEXT   
BACK 


	3. Connecting and Memories warning

 CHAPTER 3
    Tori and Tai smiled back at Dom as he gave them a grin when his
    car pulled up along side them. The competition pulled up beside him, closer
    to the two and looked over at Dominic's companions, teasing Dom's anger by
    making a kissing face at Tori, who simply smiled before throwning him
    the bird. He frowned then looked to Dom and reved up his engine in
    inimidation. Dominic simply rolled his eyes and turned back to the stretch
    of dirt road before him. The signal went up for the cars to prepare,
    then the arms went down and the two cars, one, Dominic's Supra and
    the other guys Camero took off down the half-mile course.
    
    Tori and Tai started screaming out for Dom to win. Sure enough,
    less than fifteen seconds later Dominic had crossed the finish line far
    out in front of the other guy who was cussing furiously a his bad
    luck, though it was really just his bad driving skill and knowledge. Noone
    could hold a candle to Dom, and everyone knew that.
    ***
    The group had just gotten back from Race Wars and everyone was
    extremely tired. During the rest of the course, Tori remembered, her and
    Dominic had gotten closer over just those few days. It had been incredible
    how close they had grown in so little of time.
    Tori flipped on the radio casually as the tunes of Aerosmith's
    'Fly' waifed through the room. Running a hand through her hair, she sighed
    before laying down on her bed. Spreading her left hand out to her side and
    the other above her head, she closed her eyes, trying to calm her nerves
    and tensions from the previous evening. She heard a soft knock on the
    door and even attempt to move as she spoke, too tired to walk to the door.
    "Come in."
    Dominic walked in and shut the door quietly. Tori's head went
    up to look at the visitor, twisting her neck in an odd fashion. "Ouch."
    she murmered before laying her head back down.
    "Hey." Dom said as he came to sit down beside her on the right
    side of the bed. "How you doin'?" He asked running a hand through her
    hair, playing with a few strands before pressing his palm down on by
    the right side of her head and leaning toward her on it to better see
    her face.
    "Alright. Tired I guess. More so mentally than physically. Today
    was rough, but I guess I should have expected nothing else." She sighed
    again, a little louder than when she was alone and ran her hand that was
    above her head over to Dom's hand placed just inches from it, running
    her fingers over his skin.
    Dominic gently took her hand in his, twining his fingers with
    hers, then leaned over to take her other hand and do the same, lifting
    that one above her head as well. He leaned down and kissed her softly,
    running his tongue along her lips before she opened her mouth to him
    and he swept through her warm mouth with it. He gently teased her tongue,
    pulling it into his mouth to suck on it lightly. Tori moaned trying to
    pull her hands free to wrap around his head, but Dominic put a
    gently pressure on her hands, not allowing them to leave his. Tori
    caught on and let him have his way, keeping her hands above her head
    even as his left them to travel down her face, neck and chest to her
    stomach. Sliding his hands up underneith her shirt, Dominic began
    lifting it above her chest and then slid it over her head, Tori lifting
    up to help him get it off. He lifted from the kiss, looking into her
    sky blue eyes before trailing his gaze slowly down her body to her now
    exposed bra covered breasts.
    He tossed her shirt off the bed over his shoulder, causing
    her to giggle, before she gasped as his head dipped down to lick the
    line above the top of her bra. He laved her skin with his soft tongue,
    lingering here and there before his hands crept around her back to unfasten
    the two snaps from the material keeping his mouth at bay. He pulled one
    strap at a time down her arms, staring into her eyes the entire time,
    then pulled the bra off to look down at the creamy flesh now exposed
    to him. With an almost inaudible growl, Dom dipped his head once again,
    this time wasting not a moment before baring in on his target. His tongue
    slicked over Tori's hardening nipple, before taking it into his mouth to
    suckle. Tori moaned and could no longer agree to keep her hands where
    they were, locking them onto his neck and running her hands over his
    head as he paid each breast equal attention. All the while, his hands
    stroked her thighs, hips and waist, stroking sweetly as he felt her
    responding eagerly to his attentions.
    Tori closed her eyes as Dominic increased the suction against
    her breast. He never made either one feel left out, licking and sucking
    equally at each. She was rubbing his head lightly with her fingers before
    clenching at his neck and sighing out his name. She felt him leave her
    breasts, which became cold instantly in the air and she shivered before
    she felt his lips on hers again. Tori pulled him closer, pulling his
    black tank top from his black pants and lifting it up off of his perfect
    carmel skin. Pulling away from him to pull the tank over his head, Tori
    took the opportunity to lean up and lick at his flat nipples, making Dom
    grunt and struggle to get the tank off even harder. Tori laughed as he
    ended up ripping it and throwing it, too off the bed to join her shirt,
    however it landed on the other side of the room. Dom pressed a ferocious
    kiss to her lips once more before sitting back on his knees and placing
    his hands on her sides, telling her silently to stay in place.
    Tori held her breath as Dominic's fingers ran over her skin,
    giving her shivers down her spine. He ran them down her sides, then
    back up and across her abdomen, down her stomach to the top of her
    jeans. Placing one hand on the top of her jeans to hold them in place,
    he took the zipper between the fingers of his other and slowly,
    teasingly pulled it downward, letting each click sould like forever
    before the next. Finally the zipper was completely undone and Dominic
    slid off the bed, letting his hands trail down her pants to her feet.
    Pulling off her black socks, seeing as how her shoes had already been shed
    the minute she had gotten in the room, he threw them haphazardly behind
    him, like every other article of clothing gone. Tori again giggled, then
    laughed as he grabbed her jeans and pulled, only succeeding in
    pulling her down, while the jeans stayed in place. She began to wiggle to
    try and help him get them off.
    "Don't." he said quietly. "I can do it, just may take a few tries,
    but they'll come off." he laughed. Going back to his task, he pulled more
    carefully, holding her other leg in place while he pulled the left pant
    leg down. It started to slid off her body without any problems and he did
    the same for the right leg. Finally getting them loose enough, he pulled
    the jeans slowly off of Tori before letting them drop to the floor. She
    now lay before him in only a pair of black panties. Dominic smiled at
    her with an undisguised lust she had never seen before. She began
    to lift and crawl backwards, but only got a foot before Dominic had
    grabbed her ankle and stopped her.
    Running his hand up her leg until he got to the side band of
    her panties, Dom leaned over her, kissing the same path up her leg,
    then running his tongue across the top of her thigh. Tori moaned and
    clutched the bed, still lifted up on her elbows to watch as he looked
    up at her, then closed his eyes again to work his mouth across her
    hips. His other hand joined the first and gently tugged at the
    waistband, pulling the last garment off of her. It slid easily down
    her legs and was also, of couse, thrown casually across the room.
    This time it landed on the doorknob and Tori burst out laughing. Dominic
    looked over and laughed as well, then leaned down and blew on her now
    exposed flesh. Tori gasped and looked back down at him.
    "Lay down, Tor. Close your eyes." Dom whispered to the
    panting Tori.
    She did so then moaned his name as she felt a very warm and very
    wet tongue slide along the slit of her pussy. She groaned and pressed
    up into his mouth when the very tip of his tongue came into contact with
    her clit. Dom spread her lips with his fingers and leaned in, licking
    gently at her engorged clit. After a few moments of torture, he slid
    his tongue down to her opening and quickly thrust it in, causing Tori
    to moan even louder, grasping at the back of his head. Searching within
    her for a few moments, Dom moaned into her pussy, feeling her hands
    on his head and the vibration sent Tori bucking up into his mouth.
    Lifting his mouth higher again, Dominic took her clit into his mouth and
    began a sucking motion, pulling the soft bud into his mouth more and
    more. Tori was now panting and moaning louder and louder and Dom was
    thoroughly grateful they were alone in the house. His right hand slid
    down, tracing along her open lips to her entrance and then thrust a
    finger carfully in. He could feel her beginning to move more and more
    against his face and began to work her clit faster, applying his tongue
    to it, licking as he sucked in a quick, gentle rhythm. Rolling her hips
    benieth his mouth, Tori groaned feeling her orgasm suddenly building
    quicker than before. Dominic's finger moved faster in her as she thrashed
    benieth his expert mouth and fingers. He heard her groan and grasp harder
    at his neck as she came. Licking softly at her as she came down, twitching,
    Dominic licked his lips then crawled up to kiss her deeply.
    Tori sighed accepting the kiss and deepening it. Smiling to
    herself, Tori pushed at him, taking him by suprise as he rolled onto his
    back with her straddling his pants. Lifting to her knees, Tori moved
    down, not taking much time to strip him naked, following his example
    and throwing the clothes whereever they may land. She looked down at his
    erection and smiled. He was certainly healthy. Taking him in her hand,
    Tori stroked his length until he groaned and leaned his head back,
    closing his eyes. Leaning down, she cautiously licked over the head of
    his hard cock. Dom moaned and grabbed her upper arms, looking into her
    eyes to let her know not to tease him.
    Tori crawled up and straddled his hard penis, taking it in her
    hand and leading it to her entrance. Placing her hands on his abdomen
    as his rested on her hips, Tori groaned as she slid slowly down his
    length. Dominic gave a tremendous groan and gripped her hips with
    more pressure, flexing against her skin. His eyes came slightly open
    and he looked up into her eyes. Tori smiled then threw her head back as
    she began her motions, sliding back and forth. A moan of her name came
    from his lips, his deep voice echoing inside her and making her shiver
    with excitment. She lifted her legs, pulling her hips up and then lowered
    herself again.
    "Oh god, yes." Dominic moaned, panting almost loudly as she began
    to lift and fall on his cock, rocking back and forth as well. Running
    his hand down her side, he reached his thumb in to rub pressured circles
    over her eager clit. Tori moaned nearly the same as she felt her insides
    melting and the incredible feeling of her second approaching orgasm.
    Dominic could feel the same. He was becoming incredibly hot and
    could feel himself tightening up into her as her insides flexed
    against his. This is where he wanted to be. Inside her. For a very,
    very long time. It felt so right. And in the end that's what sent
    him over. Not the heat, not the erotic electriflying motions her hips
    were making apon his, not even her moaning his name as her orgasm took
    over with an incredible intensity, though had he not had the realization,
    that certainly would have done it. It was the fact that he realized
    in that moment that he wanted to feel this forever, not just the sex,
    but the emotion. It felt right, it felt like home, even had they not
    been home. It was the fact that he realized he loved her that sent him
    over the edge and into the most incredible orgasm of his life. He groaned
    loudly, pumping quickly up into her even as she fell on to his chest,
    panting.
    "Oh, god, Tori...." he whispered as he filled her with his warmth.
    Tori sighed at the feeling and clutched at him tighter, still
    rocking lightly against him, even as she lay apon him, sweat from their
    bodies mingling as their lovemaking came to a slow and gentle end to which
    they both drifted off to sleep.
    ***
    Loud voices arguing, though muffled by the door, awoke Tori
    the next morning. Looking over at the still sleeping Dominic, she smiled
    and ran her hand along the arm so casually draped about her waist as she
    remembered the night before. Dominic and her had made love at least three
    times that night and she felt incredibly tired but wondered what the
    yelling was about. Listening closer, she didn't have to wait long to find
    out.
    "Tai! You can't just go in there. Trust me, I walked in this
    morning, you don't need to be going in there-" Mia's voice sounded
    through the wood before Tori heard Tai cut her off.
    "Listen, I don't care what they did, she needs to see this-"
    "Tai, listen to me, you can't-"
    "It's my responsibility to let her know since she-"
    "-and I'm sure they don't want to be disturbed-"
    "-probably too busy fucking to notice that anything-"
    The voices mingled togather so that Tori could hardly make them
    out. She had only moments to realize that Mia was loosing this battle
    and Tai was coming in whether she liked it or not. Turning to Dom, she
    gently shook him to wake him before Tai decided to break down the door.
    Just as he was rousing, she heard her brother say something along the
    lines of 'screw this' and the door was opened with a very upset Tai and a
    very protesting Mia entering through it. Tori sat up, holding the sheet to
    her chest. She didn't have to explain herself to her brother. If he had a
    problem, he would deal. Dominic looked extremely tired as he too attempted
    to sit up, before settling on propping up on his elbow to look at Tai.
    Before she could get a word out though, Tai put a hand up.
    "Listen, Tor, I don't car about whatever you and Dom did last night,
    ok. That's not what I'm here for-"
    "Then what's wrong?" Tori asked, interupting her brother.
    After a moments pause, he spoke. "I think you should see it for
    yourself." and with that cryptic message, left to wait for his sister who
    had just given Dominic a look that said, 'What in the world is going on?'
    ***
    Dominic stood with one hand on his forhead, his eyes closed as
    a massive headache came on. Tori was rounding the wreck of a car again,
    her mouth still dropped open in shock. She came around to him with tears
    starting up in her eyes. But she wasn't going to cry. Her expression
    quickly turned angry, but the anger he knew was not directed at him,
    but at the offenders.
    "Who in the hell would do something like this? After all of our
    hard work. The time and money that Tai and I have put in on this have
    been priceless. The parts of ourself we have put into this car.....and
    now it's gone!" she turned back to the once beautiful RX-7. Now it lay a
    rubble, riddled with bullet holes and smashed by objects now unknown.
    It had been mutilated to the point where the tag was needed to identify
    it, had Tai not immediatly known it was his. He had been devistated to
    wake up and find his prize baby smashed to nothing. When had it happened?
    Was it one of the passing cars in the night? How had they not heard it,
    not known someone was there beating it to death? Perhaps it had been
    towed away before the mutilation and brought back before dawn. The
    possiblities were endless, and so was the pain it seemed. Things were
    at the lowest Tori had ever experienced, and they didn't look to be
    getting any easier.
    Turning back from the car into Dominic's arms, she made a silent
    vow to herself and her brother to get whoever had done this to them. They
    would pay. Whatever the cost...
    ***
    As it turned out, the RX-7 was a total loss, and having no
    insurance on the car, since it was technically illigal to own the car
    for racing purposes, the two were out of luck as for their car. Som
    had tried to offer his services to help out paying since he still
    had those thousands of his share in a swiss account, but Tori would
    have none of it, saying she felt like she were stealing from him,
    using his money and Tai simply said it wouldn't be the same.
    "Tell you what. I'll let you race the Supra next time and you
    can probably get someone to bet slips on it. Your sure to win in that
    thing, so no prob. Win the car, keep the pride." Dom said, patting Tai's
    knee. It was his last olive branch he had to extend. He wasn't sure what
    else he could do to help.
    Tai took a moment, watching his feet, shorter than Dom's dangling
    off the edge of the high porch. He then looked up to Dom's face, squinting
    from the sun, even in the little shade he had. "Really?" he raised
    his brows.
    Inside Dominic sighed. "Yeah really." he smiled, raising his
    hand to Tai's shoulder. "I know what it's like, Tai, pride always in the
    way, happens to everyone,whether they want it or not, but this way you can
    keep that high horse of yours and get a new car. Who knows, may just end
    up a really good import we can upgrade."
    "So...so you'll help me upgrade it then when I get it?" he asked
    sure of his ability to win.
    "Course."
    Tai looked back down for a minute before standing up so that
    Dom was the one looking up at him. "One problem, Dom. We may not be around
    for it. Tor is sayin that we're probably gonna leave soon." he paused,
    turning to leave, before talking to Dom over his shoulder. "You know,
    I really thought this was it....we were finally gonna stop running,
    finally gonna have a REAL home, with REAL friends. I should have known
    it was too good to be true." he whispered the last, running off the
    porch and around the back to be alone.
    Dominic sat for a moment taking in all that Tai had said before
    sighing and standing up and walking around to the side of the house that
    he had had Tori park the trailer. It had only been about two weeks ago,
    just before Race Wars that she had agreed finally to let Mia and Dom
    house her and Tai. She spent very little time in her room though, except
    when she was sleeping or with Dom. Suprisingly he stayed with her
    almost every night since that special night a week ago, but they had
    not made love again, due to the stress surrounding their lives at
    that point in time. Now Dom wished he had attempted to, maybe she
    wouldn't even be thinking of leaving then. But no, she had done it before
    in different places. Tai was right, it had been just a little more than
    a month and already she was ready to run. Well, he wasn't having it.
    ***
    
    The knock on the door brought Tori out of her trance. She had been
    packing up a few things in her and Tai's few suitcases they owned. It was
    time to go. They had stayed too long already and things were getting
    to complicated....people were getting too....close. She couldn't let
    that happen now. Things were just not the right time, but then they never
    seemed the right time.
    "Come in!" she yelled to the door behind her, assuming it was Tai.
    He was supposed to help her pack some more.
    The door opened then shut. But noone spoke.
    "Tai, could you hand me the pair of shoes in the closet? The red
    ones?"
    "Tai's outside." came the deep voice.
    Tori swung around in suprise, looking into the face of Dominic Torretto.
    He was only about 3 feet from her and she blushed and turned back, pushing the
    clothes further down into the suitcase as if they would dissapear from
    his sight if she pushed hard enough. "Hi Dom. What's up?"
    "Tori, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and she
    could tell he knew. She paused a moment before answering and
    continuing putting things in her case.
    "What's it look like I'm doing Dom." she didn't even try to
    disguse her voice with a happy tone. "I'm packing up some of me and Tai's
    things."
    "Why? Why are you leaving? Did something happen?" he asked,
    now concerned that maybe he hadn't seen something going on behind the
    scenes in Tori's life, though he thought he was part of that 'behind the
    scenes' area.
    Tori turned to him with an exasperated look. "Look, Dom. You knew
    this day would come. We have to leave."
    "Why? Is it like last time Tor? Something BETTER out there?
    Nothing left here for you? Or did you simply get tired of the setting..or
    maybe it was me? Did I get boring Tori?" he asked, now starting to get
    angry.
    Tori paused. "How did you know about those things? I never told
    you the reasons I left those places..."
    "Tai told me! Tori, that's not the point-"
    
    "..tai..." she whispered, her hand rising to her mouth as Dom
    continued.
    "and you know it makes no difference. Why do you really leave
    like this? Does what we have mean nothing to you??" he asked, the watched
    in confusion as she sank down to sit on the edge of the bed, tears
    welling up in her eyes.
    "T-tori, I....I didn't mean to-"
    "Dom..." she whispered loud enough to stop him. He sat down
    beside her and carefully put his arm around her shoulder as she
    leaned forward to rest her head on his chest as she cried. Placing
    his chin on top of her head, he sighed.
    "Tori...what is it? What's so wrong that you have to run away
    from it..from us...from me?" he nearly whispered.
    She sat up with tears in her eyes, almost gasping. "Oh Dom,
    Dom it's not you....it's just, "she looked down," everytime we get
    too comfortable, something like this happens. I mean, someone get hurt
    or something goes completely wrong. I mean, you saw what happened to
    the car....I'm just so afraid that........"
    "What Tori? What is this really about?" he asked as she stood
    up out of his arms and walked three feet away from him, before turning
    back to look into his eyes, hers red and puffy from crying.
    "It's about Tai. I just know one of these days that temper and pride
    of his is going to get him killed. He's my responsibility and
    if he dies....my parents would never forgive me. I'm so afraid I'm gonna
    screw it up so badly and everything is gonna go wrong and....." she started
    to sob again.
    "So that's what this is all about." he murmered more to
    himself than to her before standing and taking her into his arms while
    she heaved her tears out in streams, wetting his shirt. "Now listen
    to me Tori. Tai is getting older and he can pretty much take care of
    himself and I know you feel like it's your responsibility, but
    god girl you have to let this go. Your parents would never hate you or
    condem you if something happened, and you know what,no matter how far you
    run Tori, if something is going to happen, it's going to find a way of
    happeneing, regardless of where you are or how safe you may be. And
    your just gonna have to accept that and try and live your life, not
    keep running like this. Your one of the strongest women I've ever
    met and I just can't see you ever loosing to this, but by god Tor if you
    run...I'm gonna follow you until you see you can't get away from yourself
    this time."
    The two stood there for what seemed like hours before Tori finally
    pulled back with a sniffle and a small smile. "I look like hell, don't I?"
    she whispered causing Dom to chuckle.
    "Yeah, but hey, think of the upside, my shirt just got washed and
    I didn't even have to take it off." he laughed. Tori gasped and touched
    his tear soaked shirt.
    "Oh lord Dom, I'm sorry, I didnt' mean to-"
    "Tori, don't worry about it." he smiled and leaned down to kiss
    her salt stained lips, tasting the tears that had flowed onto them.
    That afternoon, they made love till sunset and as Dominic slept, Tori
    made the decision that she wasn't going to run this time. She did have
    something to stay for, she thought with a smile.
    ***
    Three weeks had passed and they had been racing regularly
    with Dominic and the others, nightly, Tori taking her private life deeper
    and deeper with Dominic, though niether of them had professed love yet,
    the other knew it was true. Tai had taken to his new car he had won not a
    week after Tori had told him she had decided they were going to stay longer,
    to which he had jumped up with a whoop and ran around, hugging Mia and almost
    Dom before regaining his composure and shaking his hand to which Dominic
    laughed, then took Tori back in his arms to kiss her fervently. The group
    had become like family and Tori had even moved completely into her
    new room, Dominic of course moving some of his things into the room with
    her.
    That afternoon, Tai had gone off on a walk around the block,
    having a grand time just kicking the rocks on the sidewalk. He was
    going to check out the old abandoned warehouse, little bit of child that
    still reigned in him. Tori had simply nodded her head from her spot in
    front of Dom, who was leaned over behind her looking into a car they
    were repairing, his hands on hers. He was showing her some new tricks
    and information on fixing cars. His fingers moved over and between hers
    as he helped her twist on the top of a particular part in an old Dodge.
    Both had smiles plastered on their faces as they moved the part
    togather. Tori laughed brightly. "Sorta reminds me of the movie Ghost."
    Dominic paused and got a thoughtful look on his face. "Except
    I doubt they were working with car parts and had this much oil on them."
    he said as she laughed and kissed her ear before helping her move her
    hands further on the cars insides.
    

  
NEXT   
BACK 


	4. Connecting and Memories non nc17


    CHAPTER 3
    Tori and Tai smiled back at Dom as he gave them a grin when his
    car pulled up along side them. The competition pulled up beside him, closer
    to the two and looked over at Dominic's companions, teasing Dom's anger by
    making a kissing face at Tori, who simply smiled before throwning him
    the bird. He frowned then looked to Dom and reved up his engine in
    inimidation. Dominic simply rolled his eyes and turned back to the stretch
    of dirt road before him. The signal went up for the cars to prepare,
    then the arms went down and the two cars, one, Dominic's Supra and
    the other guys Camero took off down the half-mile course.
    
    Tori and Tai started screaming out for Dom to win. Sure enough,
    less than fifteen seconds later Dominic had crossed the finish line far
    out in front of the other guy who was cussing furiously a his bad
    luck, though it was really just his bad driving skill and knowledge. Noone
    could hold a candle to Dom, and everyone knew that.
    ***
    The group had just gotten back from Race Wars and everyone was
    extremely tired. During the rest of the course, Tori remembered, her and
    Dominic had gotten closer over just those few days. It had been incredible
    how close they had grown in so little of time.
    Tori flipped on the radio casually as the tunes of Aerosmith's
    'Fly' waifed through the room. Running a hand through her hair, she sighed
    before laying down on her bed. Spreading her left hand out to her side and
    the other above her head, she closed her eyes, trying to calm her nerves
    and tensions from the previous evening. She heard a soft knock on the
    door and even attempt to move as she spoke, too tired to walk to the door.
    "Come in."
    Dominic walked in and shut the door quietly. Tori's head went
    up to look at the visitor, twisting her neck in an odd fashion. "Ouch."
    she murmered before laying her head back down.
    "Hey." Dom said as he came to sit down beside her on the right
    side of the bed. "How you doin'?" He asked running a hand through her
    hair, playing with a few strands before pressing his palm down on by
    the right side of her head and leaning toward her on it to better see
    her face.
    "Alright. Tired I guess. More so mentally than physically. Today
    was rough, but I guess I should have expected nothing else." She sighed
    again, a little louder than when she was alone and ran her hand that was
    above her head over to Dom's hand placed just inches from it, running
    her fingers over his skin.
    Dominic gently took her hand in his, twining his fingers with hers,
    then leaned over to take her other hand and do the same, lifting that one
    above her head as well. He leaned down and kissed her softly, moving onto the
    bed with her, showing her just how much he truely cared for her.
    (*corney I know, but I couldnt' think of anything else*)
    ***
    Loud voices arguing, though muffled by the door, awoke Tori
    the next morning. Looking over at the still sleeping Dominic, she smiled
    and ran her hand along the arm so casually draped about her waist as she
    remembered the night before. Dominic and her had made love at least three
    times that night and she felt incredibly tired but wondered what the
    yelling was about. Listening closer, she didn't have to wait long to find
    out.
    "Tai! You can't just go in there. Trust me, I walked in this
    morning, you don't need to be going in there-" Mia's voice sounded
    through the wood before Tori heard Tai cut her off.
    "Listen, I don't care what they did, she needs to see this-"
    "Tai, listen to me, you can't-"
    "It's my responsibility to let her know since she-"
    "-and I'm sure they don't want to be disturbed-"
    "-probably too busy fucking to notice that anything-"
    The voices mingled togather so that Tori could hardly make them
    out. She had only moments to realize that Mia was loosing this battle
    and Tai was coming in whether she liked it or not. Turning to Dom, she
    gently shook him to wake him before Tai decided to break down the door.
    Just as he was rousing, she heard her brother say something along the
    lines of 'screw this' and the door was opened with a very upset Tai and a
    very protesting Mia entering through it. Tori sat up, holding the sheet to
    her chest. She didn't have to explain herself to her brother. If he had a
    problem, he would deal. Dominic looked extremely tired as he too attempted
    to sit up, before settling on propping up on his elbow to look at Tai.
    Before she could get a word out though, Tai put a hand up.
    "Listen, Tor, I don't car about whatever you and Dom did last night,
    ok. That's not what I'm here for-"
    "Then what's wrong?" Tori asked, interupting her brother.
    After a moments pause, he spoke. "I think you should see it for
    yourself." and with that cryptic message, left to wait for his sister who
    had just given Dominic a look that said, 'What in the world is going on?'
    ***
    Dominic stood with one hand on his forhead, his eyes closed as
    a massive headache came on. Tori was rounding the wreck of a car again,
    her mouth still dropped open in shock. She came around to him with tears
    starting up in her eyes. But she wasn't going to cry. Her expression
    quickly turned angry, but the anger he knew was not directed at him,
    but at the offenders.
    "Who in the hell would do something like this? After all of our
    hard work. The time and money that Tai and I have put in on this have
    been priceless. The parts of ourself we have put into this car.....and
    now it's gone!" she turned back to the once beautiful RX-7. Now it lay a
    rubble, riddled with bullet holes and smashed by objects now unknown.
    It had been mutilated to the point where the tag was needed to identify
    it, had Tai not immediatly known it was his. He had been devistated to
    wake up and find his prize baby smashed to nothing. When had it happened?
    Was it one of the passing cars in the night? How had they not heard it,
    not known someone was there beating it to death? Perhaps it had been
    towed away before the mutilation and brought back before dawn. The
    possiblities were endless, and so was the pain it seemed. Things were
    at the lowest Tori had ever experienced, and they didn't look to be
    getting any easier.
    Turning back from the car into Dominic's arms, she made a silent
    vow to herself and her brother to get whoever had done this to them. They
    would pay. Whatever the cost...
    ***
    As it turned out, the RX-7 was a total loss, and having no
    insurance on the car, since it was technically illigal to own the car
    for racing purposes, the two were out of luck as for their car. Som
    had tried to offer his services to help out paying since he still
    had those thousands of his share in a swiss account, but Tori would
    have none of it, saying she felt like she were stealing from him,
    using his money and Tai simply said it wouldn't be the same.
    "Tell you what. I'll let you race the Supra next time and you
    can probably get someone to bet slips on it. Your sure to win in that
    thing, so no prob. Win the car, keep the pride." Dom said, patting Tai's
    knee. It was his last olive branch he had to extend. He wasn't sure what
    else he could do to help.
    Tai took a moment, watching his feet, shorter than Dom's dangling
    off the edge of the high porch. He then looked up to Dom's face, squinting
    from the sun, even in the little shade he had. "Really?" he raised
    his brows.
    Inside Dominic sighed. "Yeah really." he smiled, raising his
    hand to Tai's shoulder. "I know what it's like, Tai, pride always in the
    way, happens to everyone,whether they want it or not, but this way you can
    keep that high horse of yours and get a new car. Who knows, may just end
    up a really good import we can upgrade."
    "So...so you'll help me upgrade it then when I get it?" he asked
    sure of his ability to win.
    "Course."
    Tai looked back down for a minute before standing up so that
    Dom was the one looking up at him. "One problem, Dom. We may not be around
    for it. Tor is sayin that we're probably gonna leave soon." he paused,
    turning to leave, before talking to Dom over his shoulder. "You know,
    I really thought this was it....we were finally gonna stop running,
    finally gonna have a REAL home, with REAL friends. I should have known
    it was too good to be true." he whispered the last, running off the
    porch and around the back to be alone.
    Dominic sat for a moment taking in all that Tai had said before
    sighing and standing up and walking around to the side of the house that
    he had had Tori park the trailer. It had only been about two weeks ago,
    just before Race Wars that she had agreed finally to let Mia and Dom
    house her and Tai. She spent very little time in her room though, except
    when she was sleeping or with Dom. Suprisingly he stayed with her
    almost every night since that special night a week ago, but they had
    not made love again, due to the stress surrounding their lives at
    that point in time. Now Dom wished he had attempted to, maybe she
    wouldn't even be thinking of leaving then. But no, she had done it before
    in different places. Tai was right, it had been just a little more than
    a month and already she was ready to run. Well, he wasn't having it.
    ***
    
    The knock on the door brought Tori out of her trance. She had been
    packing up a few things in her and Tai's few suitcases they owned. It was
    time to go. They had stayed too long already and things were getting
    to complicated....people were getting too....close. She couldn't let
    that happen now. Things were just not the right time, but then they never
    seemed the right time.
    "Come in!" she yelled to the door behind her, assuming it was Tai.
    He was supposed to help her pack some more.
    The door opened then shut. But noone spoke.
    "Tai, could you hand me the pair of shoes in the closet? The red
    ones?"
    "Tai's outside." came the deep voice.
    Tori swung around in suprise, looking into the face of Dominic
    Torretto. He was only about 3 feet from her and she blushed and turned
    back, pushing the clothes further down into the suitcase as if they
    would dissapear from his sight if she pushed hard enough. "Hi Dom.
    What's up?"
    "Tori, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and she
    could tell he knew. She paused a moment before answering and
    continuing putting things in her case.
    "What's it look like I'm doing Dom." she didn't even try to
    disguse her voice with a happy tone. "I'm packing up some of me and Tai's
    things."
    "Why? Why are you leaving? Did something happen?" he asked,
    now concerned that maybe he hadn't seen something going on behind the
    scenes in Tori's life, though he thought he was part of that 'behind the
    scenes' area.
    Tori turned to him with an exasperated look. "Look, Dom. You knew
    this day would come. We have to leave."
    "Why? Is it like last time Tor? Something BETTER out there?
    Nothing left here for you? Or did you simply get tired of the setting..or
    maybe it was me? Did I get boring Tori?" he asked, now starting to get
    angry.
    Tori paused. "How did you know about those things? I never told
    you the reasons I left those places..."
    "Tai told me! Tori, that's not the point-"
    
    "..tai..." she whispered, her hand rising to her mouth as Dom
    continued.
    "and you know it makes no difference. Why do you really leave
    like this? Does what we have mean nothing to you??" he asked, the watched
    in confusion as she sank down to sit on the edge of the bed, tears
    welling up in her eyes.
    "T-tori, I....I didn't mean to-"
    "Dom..." she whispered loud enough to stop him. He sat down
    beside her and carefully put his arm around her shoulder as she
    leaned forward to rest her head on his chest as she cried. Placing
    his chin on top of her head, he sighed.
    "Tori...what is it? What's so wrong that you have to run away
    from it..from us...from me?" he nearly whispered.
    She sat up with tears in her eyes, almost gasping. "Oh Dom,
    Dom it's not you....it's just, "she looked down," everytime we get
    too comfortable, something like this happens. I mean, someone get hurt
    or something goes completely wrong. I mean, you saw what happened to
    the car....I'm just so afraid that........"
    "What Tori? What is this really about?" he asked as she stood
    up out of his arms and walked three feet away from him, before turning
    back to look into his eyes, hers red and puffy from crying.
    "It's about Tai. I just know one of these days that temper and pride
    of his is going to get him killed. He's my responsibility and
    if he dies....my parents would never forgive me. I'm so afraid I'm gonna
    screw it up so badly and everything is gonna go wrong and....." she started
    to sob again.
    "So that's what this is all about." he murmered more to
    himself than to her before standing and taking her into his arms while
    she heaved her tears out in streams, wetting his shirt. "Now listen
    to me Tori. Tai is getting older and he can pretty much take care of
    himself and I know you feel like it's your responsibility, but
    god girl you have to let this go. Your parents would never hate you or
    condem you if something happened, and you know what,no matter how far you
    run Tori, if something is going to happen, it's going to find a way of
    happeneing, regardless of where you are or how safe you may be. And
    your just gonna have to accept that and try and live your life, not
    keep running like this. Your one of the strongest women I've ever
    met and I just can't see you ever loosing to this, but by god Tor if you
    run...I'm gonna follow you until you see you can't get away from yourself
    this time."
    The two stood there for what seemed like hours before Tori finally
    pulled back with a sniffle and a small smile. "I look like hell, don't I?"
    she whispered causing Dom to chuckle.
    "Yeah, but hey, think of the upside, my shirt just got washed and
    I didn't even have to take it off." he laughed. Tori gasped and touched
    his tear soaked shirt.
    "Oh lord Dom, I'm sorry, I didnt' mean to-"
    "Tori, don't worry about it." he smiled and leaned down to kiss
    her salt stained lips, tasting the tears that had flowed onto them.
    That afternoon, they made love till sunset and as Dominic slept, Tori
    made the decision that she wasn't going to run this time. She did have
    something to stay for, she thought with a smile.
    ***
    Three weeks had passed and they had been racing regularly
    with Dominic and the others, nightly, Tori taking her private life deeper
    and deeper with Dominic, though niether of them had professed love yet,
    the other knew it was true. Tai had taken to his new car he had won not a
    week after Tori had told him she had decided they were going to stay longer,
    to which he had jumped up with a whoop and ran around, hugging Mia and almost
    Dom before regaining his composure and shaking his hand to which Dominic
    laughed, then took Tori back in his arms to kiss her fervently. The group
    had become like family and Tori had even moved completely into her
    new room, Dominic of course moving some of his things into the room with
    her.
    That afternoon, Tai had gone off on a walk around the block,
    having a grand time just kicking the rocks on the sidewalk. He was
    going to check out the old abandoned warehouse, little bit of child that
    still reigned in him. Tori had simply nodded her head from her spot in
    front of Dom, who was leaned over behind her looking into a car they
    were repairing, his hands on hers. He was showing her some new tricks
    and information on fixing cars. His fingers moved over and between hers
    as he helped her twist on the top of a particular part in an old Dodge.
    Both had smiles plastered on their faces as they moved the part
    togather. Tori laughed brightly. "Sorta reminds me of the movie Ghost."
    Dominic paused and got a thoughtful look on his face. "Except
    I doubt they were working with car parts and had this much oil on them."
    he said as she laughed and kissed her ear before helping her move her
    hands further on the cars insides.
    
    
    

  


NEXT   
BACK 


	5. Losing and Living

 CHAPTER 4
    
    The car came out of nowhere, it's tires sqealing as it chased
    Tai from behind the warehouse. He was less than a quarter mile from the
    house. He could make it. He just had to, he yelled to himself as he ran,
    darting into alleyways trying to use shortcuts to make the car loose length
    behind him. He hadn't been able to see the driver or the passenger as they
    sped toward him, too concerned with his own life.
    ***
    
    Tori looked down the street then back at Dom who was leaning far
    over the car. She had given up and taken to just watching him work.
    Tai should have been back by then. Turning back to Dom she smiled.
    "Hey Dom, I'm gonna go see what's taking Tai so long. Be right
    back." she said with a smile.
    He looked up briefly, returning her smile. "K, babe." he said
    before turning back to his work, his tough working face back in place.
    Tori smiled before turning back to the street and starting down it.
    When she reached the corner, her eyes went wide and her crossed
    arms fell to her sides. "Oh god!" she whispered before rushing down the
    street at top speed.
    "Oh shit. Oh shit!" Tai yelled as he jumped the fence moments
    before the car crashed into it. The driver quickly backed up and took
    another way as Tai didn't even bother to look back, running across an
    open road. The car came speeding around the corner behind him and he
    yelled even as he heard the warning of his sister before she tackled him.
    "TAI!" Tori screamed rushing out into the road, pushing Tai
    and herself off the street just as the Camaro sped by, then screeched to
    a hault mere hundreds of feet from then, then quickly made it's way toward
    them again.
    "Split up!!!" Tori yelled and pushed Tai to another direction
    as they both took off. The car decided to take the fight on her and
    began it's trek chasing her through the alleyway she had darted down.
    She turned to look behind her as the car got closer and closer. Yelling
    out, she ran out
    of the alleyway seconds before the car, quickly turning right and
    running as fast as she could out in the street toward the left side,
    nearer to Dom's house than ever. If she could only get there!
    The car's wheels sqealed in protest as it took a sharp more than
    nintey degree angle and started at full speed toward her again, gaining
    up as it came. Tori dashed from side to side, breathless as the
    car chased after her.
    "TORI!" she heard the screech of her name from her brother from
    behind her. Turning quickly, she spun just in time to see the driver of
    the car as the left front bumper slammed into her, sending her tumbling
    over the top of the car, hitting the windsheild before falling to the ground.
    The car didnt stop as it sped off down the street, taking a corner
    quickly and then dissapearing behind a building before anyone could follow.
    Tori gripped her stomach and side and curled into a fetal ball whimpering
    as a crying Tai ran the fastest his legs could carry him, ran to her
    side. Skidding down onto the ground beside her, Tai put his hand on her
    forhead and pulled one of her hands away from her side to examine it. Tori
    moaned with a sob as pain wracked her body.
    
    "...tai..." she croaked out.
    Tai leaned down to hear her."...get..help........Dom.....get..."
    "Ok,.....ok, i'm going Tor, just stay here, don't move ok? Please,
    I'll be right back, ok!" he yelled already running down the street
    towards Dom's house, not three blocks away. Tori moaned in pain and
    watched as the world before her took on a redish tint. She hoped Tai would
    hurry. She knew that the sleepy feeling wasn't a good thing to have right
    now.
    ***
    A frantic knocking on the door brought Mia from the living room
    and the television. Opening the door, she was greeted by a shaking, sweaty
    and very pale Tai.
    "Tai, what's wrong??" she asked pulling the boy into the house.
    "Dom.....Tori. You have to help! Please. Dom, get Dom!" he yelled
    frantically, new tears gracing his delicate cheeks as he started to cry,
    loosing his composure.
    "Oh god. DOM!" Mia screamed up the stairs. Dominic came pounding
    down quickly only mere seconds later.
    "WHAT? What is it??" he asked then saw the shape Tai was in.
    "Tai, what the hell is wrong? Where's Tori?!" he all but yelled. His heart
    skipped it's beating as he thought of all that could be wrong.
    "Help. Dom you gotta help. Torigothit! Hewaschasingusandshepushed
    meawayandhe-"
    "TAI!" Dom yelled, stopping the boy and grabbing his shoulders.
    "What happened so that I can understand it!"
    "It's Tori. She got hit by some fucking asshole. He was
    chasing us with his car and he hit her! She's hurt real bad!! She-"
    "Oh god..." Dom said, not letting Tai finish as he ran out the
    door followed by a frantic Tai. "Mia! Get the car and follow us!" he said
    as he ran after a quickly fleeing Tai. Mia dashed into the house to
    grab the keys to the Supra, making sure she knew which direction they ran
    off to.
    Dominic's stomach dropped out from under him as they turned the
    corner from his street onto another road that ran beside an old factory.
    There in the middle of the road not two blocks from them lay an unmoving
    Tori. Speeding up and running past the worn out Tai, Dominic felt his
    lungs squeeze in fear and exertion. "Tori!!!" he yelled as he came
    to a skidding hault, falling to the ground before scrambling back up
    to her. Her eyes were half closed and she was white and shaking. There
    was a puddle of blood on the ground and her shirt was soaked with the
    deep crimson liquid. Reaching into his shirt pocket, Dominic pulled
    out his cell phone and dialed 911. Tai finally reached them and fell to
    his knees. Dom put a hand on his shoulder then looked up at the sound
    of a car coming.
    The Supra's tires squeeled as Mia came around the corner and sped
    toward them, coming to a quick stop beside them. She gasped as she got
    out and saw Tori's condition.
    "Yeah! We have an emergency! A woman has been hit by a car! Yes!
    It's on the south part of Murphy. Yeah! We'll be here, hurry!!" Dominic
    yelled into the cell phone before he hung it up, turning back to
    the bleeding woman beside him. "Tori! Tori... come back to me baby,
    come on, you gotta wake up!" he said loudly, gaining her attention,
    what was left of it. She was quickly loosing all conciousness.
    "..dom..." she moaned, her head rolling from side to side as
    she moaned.
    "That's right, babe. I'm here, don't worry. Where the fuck is
    the ambulance??!" he yelled looking up.
    Just then, he heard the sound of a distant siren. "Alright.
    Alright! Their on their way baby! Stay awake for me!" he grabbed Tori's
    face gently, forcing her to focus on him. "Stay with me, girl."
    The ambulance pulled up not five minutes later, which seemed
    like five hours to the group. Two men unloaded from
    the inside of the
    back with a stretcher and examined her before getting her up onto the
    stretcher and up into the ambulance. Dominic quickly climbed up with
    them and told Mia to bring Tai and follow them. Mia grabbed Tai, who
    was still crying and put him into the passengers seat and then took off
    behind the ambulance. Mia reached over and ran her hand through Tai's
    hair as he sobbed quietly for his injured sister and sighed, murmering
    soft things to reasure him.
    Dominic grabbed Tori's cool, clammy hand, paying no heed to
    the medics as they yelling things back and forth to each other and the
    loud beeps and shrills of the machinery. Nor did he pay any attention
    to the rocking and bumping of the ambulance or the loud sirens as
    they rushed to the hospital. The entire time, his eyes were on her face.
    She looked so dead lying there. She was cool to the touch, not quite
    cold, but a terrible temperature. Her skin was white and clammy, dry.
    A tube had been inserted into her mouth as well as a mask placed over
    her mouth and nose and IV's had been inserted into her arms. Cloths had
    been layed over and around the area of most bleeding and her eyes closed
    slowly, peacefully as they made their way. Dominic's eyes widened until
    someone layed a hand on his shoulder and told him not to worry, it was
    normal for her to pass out, that they would do their best and for him
    to relax. Dominic sighed and closed his eyes, letting his head drop, but
    he never relaxed.
    ***
    The thick sanitized and sickening smell of the hospital reeked
    through their senses as the three sat in the emergency waiting room. They
    were three of hundreds that sat. Most of the injuries were minor. They
    had been able to get Tori in on account of her extreme condition. Now
    here they sat, four hours later, restless and tired and impatient.
    Tai slept soundlessly next to Dominic, who simply stared as he had
    for hours strait ahead of him at a blankish painting on the wall. Some
    abstract peice of art that was there for the simple purpose of calming
    those patrons who were frantic and impatient.
    "Here ya go." Mia said softly as she came around the corner
    with two cups of 'gormet' hospital coffee from the machine down the
    hall. She handed one to Dominic and sipped from the other herself,
    scrunching her nose in distaste at the cardboarded flavored substance.
    She sat on the other side of Tai, running her hand over his hair as he
    slept. "Poor kid." she murmered.
    "Have they said anything?" she asked as she reached over, touching
    Dom's hand with her fingertips. He shook his head and sighed, shrinking
    back into his chair and setting down his coffee, not paying it any
    attention.
    "Are you the party for Ms. Whitter?" A balding man in his late
    fourties with a white medical doctrine coat on asked as he came into
    the waiting room, carrying a metal clipboard chart in his hand.
    Dominic stood immediatly."Yeah, we are. How is she? Is she gonna be
    ok?" he asked in a hurry.
    The doctor put his hands up before continuing. "My name is Dr.
    Jasons. I'm going to be her assigned doctor since she doesn't have one
    registered here. Alright, we are moving her up to the Intensive Care unit
    on the fourth floor. If you'll come with me, there is a private waiting
    room there for each of the families and friends. We'll discuss her
    condition there if you don't mind. For safety and privacy purposes
    of course. It's hospital policy" the man said.
    Dominic gently shook Tai awake as Mia grabbed their things and
    they started of behind the doctor up the elevator to the fourth floor.
    The private waiting room was a large nicely decorated room with black
    leather lounge recliners and a large leather sofa. There was also a
    big screen tv, vcr and a refridgerator. Phones hung on the walls for
    personal use. "Pretty nice decor for a waiting room." Dom said as he
    sat down in a chair at a wooden table that had seven other chairs.
    "We find that the family and friends feel the need to stay with
    the injured or sick party while they stay here and they can't be in
    the room all of the time, so we want to make our patients families
    as comfortable as possible." Doctor Jasons explained, taking a seat and
    motioning for Mia and Dom to sit as he pulled his up to them. Mia had
    layed a sleepy Tai on the leather couch, covering him with Dom's jacket.
    "Alright. First," doctor Jasons said, pulling up his chart from the table
    where he had set it. "It says here you registered her, but your not
    registered as family. Do you know how to contact her next of kin? We
    need to get them the news and we have papers they will be needing to sign."
    "That's her only next of kin, sleeping over there." Mia said,
    pointing to Tai.
    "So she has noone else, just her...."
    "Brother." Dom put in.
    "Alright. And your relation to her?"
    "Friends. Very close friends. Very close." Dominic said and
    Mia took his hand which he had been rubbing with his other one nervously.
    The doctor looked up at this gesture then back to his chart before
    looking back to them. "And you two are..."
    "He's my brother. The four of us are pretty much all the family
    we have." Mia smiled slightly.
    "Ah. Alright, I see. Well, hmm. I suppose the only thing to do that
    circumstance allows is that I have you sign for the papers. Your going
    to have to claim her as next of kin, if that's alright. It will be
    a sorts of secondary kin type of thing, but seeing as how your the only
    ones of concenting age to sign for her, as her brother is obviously under
    age, you'll have to be the legal admitters." Doctor Jasons smiled gently
    at them.
    "Alright, that's fine. How is she?" Dominic said nervously.
    "Well, frankly, she's lucky. Most times someone wouldn't
    have made it this far, especially having lost as much blood as she has.
    She had some internal bleeding, which we've managed to stop. We had to do
    a small blood transfusion, which is currently in progress, and we
    had to reset her hip, which had been knocked out of place. She had some
    bruising to her lungs so were keeping her on a machine to help her breathe
    just in case. She also has a few broken and cracked ribs and alot of
    internal and external tissue bruising. We are keeping her in Intensive
    Care for a day or two to keep an eye on her. Do you know if she had
    insurance?"
    "Oh god..." Dominic sighed, then rolled his head down before
    coming back up. "Uh....I don't know. I think she does. I think she said
    both her and Tai do, but it would be in their trailer...oh god..
    ..I can't believe." he sighed again and Mia put her hand on his back.
    "That's alright. I just need those papers before she leaves,
    which I assume is going to be at least more than a week, so you can
    get those to me whenever. Mostly she needs to rest and recouperate."
    Jasons said standing.
    Mia stood with him. "Is there any way we could see her?"
    The doctor looked the group over for a moment. "I'll see what I
    can do. Once she's settled in the room, I'll have someone let you
    know, alright?" he walked up to Mia and pulled her to the side so that
    Dominic couldn't hear. "For right now, I would get some rest, make
    sure everyone gets some sleep. I've seen this a hundred times, it's
    just harder if you don't let yourself rest. It's wracks the nerves
    more. Is he...her?" he asked gesturing toward Dom. At Mia's slight nod,
    he continued. "I only asked because it's going to be harder for him.
    You need to probably make sure he eats and sleeps. I'll go see what
    I can do now to get you all in to see her." Doctor Jasons smiled before
    leaving the group in the room.
    ***
    "oh god..." Mia whispered, covering her mouth and pulling Tai back
    against her as he struggled not to cry as they entered Tori's hospital room.
    "Hey baby," Dominic breathed."We're here. Mia and Tai and me.
    We all came to see you." he was fighting tears of his own as he sat down
    by the left side of her bed. He sat the flowers he had bought down on the
    window sil and closed the blinds from the sun. Mia turned and closed
    the door before steering Tai to a recliner to sit. She didnt want him to
    have to be too close to Tori while she looked like she did. Take a seat
    on the right side of the bed and keeping a hand to her mouth, she closed
    her eyes from the terrible scene in front of her.
    Tori lay on a bunch of blankets and soft sheets to keep her
    bruised back softened against the bed. She had a thick tube coming from
    her mouth that lead up to a breathing machine on the right and two tubes
    that were just slightly in her nostrils. Her eyes were puffy and closed
    from the earlier damage. She had bandages wrapped around her middle
    thickly. IV's were coming from her inner elbow and the back of her hand.
    A device glowing red was attatched to her index finger on her left hand.
    She was covered up her legs by blankets of wool and cathider tubes
    lead down under the bed to a secret place so as not to disgust anyone.
    She looked to be in a deep sleep.
    "I'm gonna kill whoever did this." Dominic murmered so softly
    that Mia almost couldn't hear him.
    
    "Dom-"
    "No, he's right." Tai spoke up in a cracking voice.
    Mia turned to him. "Tai-"
    "No. They deserve it. They were coming for me and instead Tori
    pushed me out of the way. They went after her because they couldn't get
    me. They deserve whatever Dom wants to give them. They hurt Tori."he
    said quietly. Mia suddenly realized she wasn't going to win. Whatever
    his brother had in mind was going to happen whether she liked it or
    not. She pittied the fool who had dared mess with the love and friend
    of Dominic Torretto.
    ***
    Angela walked into the hospital room with a prearranged bunch
    of flowers in her hand. Carefully placing them into a vase she had brought
    and filling it half full with water, she sat them on the sil of the
    window. Ever since their race at Race Wars, she and Tori had started
    talking and became good friends pretty quickly. Most poeple didn't give
    a second thought to the attitude, but Tori had and that's what had made
    her special. Turning back to Tori, she sighed and gave a sympathetic look
    towards Dom who was sleeping in the recliner. Walking over to Tori's
    side, she stroked her friends hair then leaned down to kiss her forehead.
    "You'd better get well soon, Tor. Don't know what Dom and Tai are gonna
    do without you. Mia says they are clueless and never leave the hospital."
    giving a small laugh she continued."says even the cafeteria crew knows
    their names by now." taking on a more serious note she leaned closer to
    Tori's ear." You need to wake up, Tor. We're all lost without you. Wake
    up soon...please?"
    With a sigh, Angela walked over and gently placed her hand on
    Dominic's shoulder in sypathy before leaving. On her way down the hall
    towards the elevator she spotted Mia and Tai coming back with drinks
    in their hands.
    "Hey, Angela. Wondered where you'd been. Guess you finally got our
    messages huh? Dom tried to contact you about a week ago when she first
    came in, but no luck." Mia said questioningly.
    "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, I was out of town on family buisness.
    Had a sick aunt in the hospital over in Penn."
    "Oh, is she alright?" Mia asked worried, placing her arm
    around Tai's shoulder as he sipped on his Pepsi.
    
    Angela sighed, running a hand through her dirty blond hair.
    "Yeah, she's alright now, just gave us a scare. I'm really worried
    about Tor, though. She hasn't even woken up yet. Have the doctors said
    anything?"
    "No, they still aren't sure. They say she's going to be alright,
    it's just up to her when she wakes up. But I'm starting to wonder.
    I mean, aren't they at least supposed to move? It's scary." Mia groaned.
    "Mia? You guys comin back?" Mia looked past Angela to Dominic who
    looked absolutely worn out.
    "Yeah, Dom we're coming. Just went to get a drink. Angela just
    came by. She was out of town for a family emergency thing." Mia explained.
    "Ah. That's alright. Hey Ang. Glad you dropped by, I'm sure Tor is
    too. She'll be around soon, don't worry." he gave a slight smile.
    
    "Yeah. Good to see you too Dom. Take good care of her, I'll come by
    tomorrow." With a smiled, Angela laid a hand on Tai's shoulder before
    entering the elevator.
    "I hope she does wake up soon. What are we gonna do if she
    don't, Mia? She's the one that takes care of me....what's gonna
    happen if she doesn't wake up?" Tai asked in a small voice.
    "That won't happen, Tai. She'll be fine. Come on, let's go back
    in and watch some tv, k?"
    ***
    Everything hurt. That was the only thought that ran through
    Tori's head. Pain. Throbbing, Hurt....Dom...Where was Tai and Dom? Rolling
    her head carefully to the left with a groan of pain. It hurt to move
    anything, like she had cricks all over her body. And her abdomen and
    chest hurt like she had been slugged with a sledgehammer.
    Carefully and slowly she opened her eyes to see the dark hospital room.
    Everything was a dim shade of black and a white light eminated from the
    hallway. A nurse passed by and Tori could hear a few night workers
    talking in the hall quietly. In a recliner beside her bed with his jacket
    over his chest was a sleeping Dominic. Two other figures slept on a
    small couch beyond the recliner.
    "....." a groan came out as a croak from her extremely dry mouth
    and Tori moved her lips togather and her tongue around in her mouth in a
    desperate attempt to create any sort of liquid. It was no use. Her entire
    mouth and throat were dry as the Sahara. Gathering up her strength, she
    croaked out the cough again, this time a tad louder.
    Twitching in his restless sleep, Tai heard coughing distantly
    in the back of his mind. Forcing the fog to lift he listened again as
    it came. Sitting up carefully and looking around the room he looked over
    to where Tori lay and saw her moving under the thick sheets. Her eyes
    were open and she was coughing. "Tori!" he yelled jerking Dom and
    Mia awake in the process. Rushing to her bedside, he leaned over as his
    sister tried to stop coughing.
    Dominic quickly came up behind Tai and seeing Tori awake grabbed
    for the service button, pressing it over and over again until three
    nurses came rushing into the room.
    
    "She's awake!" Tai yelled to them.
    The head nurse told another something and she rushed off, coming
    back moments later with a doctor. He came over to the bed and told Tori to
    calm down and the coughing would stop. After about five minutes, her
    scratchy coughs subsided.
    "Alright, Tori, I'm going to get this tube out of your throat ok?
    I need you to take a deep breathe and exhale when I tell you alright?"
    At Tori's nod, the doctor unhooked all the instruments and counted to
    three before having Tori inhale then exhale as he pulled the nearly
    one foot of tubing from her throat. Tori coughed for another five minutes
    as the nurses brought in more blankets and some ice and water for her.
    The doctor instructed Dominic to feed her the ice first, small peices
    to let her see if she could keep it down before letting her have
    the water.
    "Thanks doc." Tai said with a huge grin on his face.
    "..hey...wh-what's a girl gotta do...to get a kiss around here..."
    Tori croaked out as Dominic fed her the ice. With a laugh, he leaned
    down and kissed her gently, then deeper on her urging. Pulling away he
    laughed at her forced pout. "Ice first, lips later."
    "...damn...cheap hospital...."
    Tai laughed as Dom fed his sister ice. He had a grin plastered on
    his face as Mia came up behind him. His sister was back.
    ***
    3 WEEKS LATER...
    There was a sign hanging above the doorway and she could see
    people gathered around on the sunny fall day as she approached the house.
    Dom was helping her walk from her right and Mia was making sure she
    could support her if needed on the left. Tai was right behind her. She
    looked up at the porch with a smile on her face. Angela and her new
    boyfriend were there, a few of Dom's buddies that she had met a few
    times and a couple others she recognized all stood out on the porch
    waiting for her arrival. She could feel Dominic lean in close to her
    ear.
    "Welcome home, Tor." he whispered for her with a smile on his
    face. Home. That was a new word for Tori, but when she thought about it,
    home was right. This was her home now as far as she was concerned.
    She turned and smiled at him before they reached the porch. All her
    friends were eager to help her. Angela came and took her left arm as
    Mia went inside followed by a few other.
    "Good to have you back, girl." Angela smiled. Vince gave her a
    thumbs up and a smile as well as a few other people as she sat on the
    couch with Dominic on her right and Angela on her left. She had
    bandaging still around her waist and bruises and scars were still evident,
    but she looked alot better than she had.
    Tori felt Dom take her hand as Mia handed her a glass of water.
    "Tori." Dom said catching her attention. Tori turned to look at
    him. He had such a serious expression on his face. Noone else was
    watching, they were all talking and laughing. "I know who did it. Who
    bashed the car, who was chasing you guys....who hurt you. But I need
    to your permission to go Tori. I won't go if you don't want me to, but
    I can't promise that if I ever see them that I won't end up killing
    them." he said quietly.
    Tori gasped. "You know who...." she swallowed the hard lump
    in her throat.
    Dominic nodded, then stood and lifted her up with him carefully.
    "Come on." he said carefully walking her to the stairs and starting up
    toward their bedroom that they now shared. Dominic had moved nearly all
    of her stuff into his room while she was in the hospital and had
    moved the big full sized bed from her old room into his and switched
    it out with his old twin. He never did know why he slept on that old
    thing. He had too many memories of he and Letty there and it was time to
    move on to something more definate.
    "Hey, where you guys goin?" asked Angela. "Party just started."
    she smiled.
    "I'm gonna let Tori get some rest..." Dom said helping her up the
    next step.
    "Ahhhh. ok." Angela grinned, keeping her little thought to
    herself as Dominic rolled his eyes. He knew what she was thinking.
    ***
    Once in the room, Dominic sat her on the edge of the bed and sat
    down beside her.
    "Who was it?" she asked quietly.
    "Remember at race wars. That guy that Tai raced?"
    "Yeah?"
    Dom sighed. "His family has always won the races with that car
    and when he lost his father and brothers blamed him. Guess he got
    angry and jealous or something. He's set on revenge Tori and if he
    couldn't win the race, then he'll kill the guy who did. Kid or not.
    I know these guys Tor, they're not nice at all, they're sick and
    twisted and mean....and I can't assure I can protect you if something
    does happen."
    She sat there just looking strait ahead as he told her what he
    knew. Tori looked like she was in a trance. After a few moments she
    spoke. "Dom?"
    "Yeah, baby?"
    "What will happen if you don't do something. Will they come
    again? Will they try to get Tai again?"she asked finally looking
    at him on her last question.
    "I don't know for sure. But I'm not gonna say I doubt it. They're
    ruthless Tor and they don't care who they hurt on their way to the
    top."
    After another few moments pause, Tori leaned over and put her
    head on Dom's shoulder. "Dom? Can I tell you something. I don't
    want you to leave or anything, but I just really need to say it."
    Dominic stiffened not sure what she wanted to say. Was she going
    to stop him? Or worse, tell him that he was no better for wanting to hurt
    them? "Yeah, what is it babe?" he asked finally.
    "I love you."
    Dominic's face lit up in a deep smile and his arm went around
    Tori's shoulders, pulling her to him for a hug. 'Thank god.' he thought.
    "I love you too, Tor." he whispered.
    "Dom?"
    "Yeah?"
    "I dont want them to come after me or Tai again, ok?" she
    said sounding alike a small child asking her older brother or best
    friend for protection.
    Dominic understood. She didnt care what he did, she just
    didnt' want to know about it and she wanted the men that hurt her
    out of the picture for good. Now Dom had never been a killer, but he
    could certainly make sure they left town, and he was pretty sure he
    could get every single one of his friends and their friends to help.
    In the short time that Tori and Tai had made their presence there,
    they had made alot of friends and very few enemies and now was the time
    to use that to their advantage.
    "Sure thing baby. Noone will ever try to hurt you OR Tai ever again."
    he whispered before pulling her carefully with him down to the bed to sleep
    for a while.
    

  


EPILOGUE   
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	6. Epilogue

 Epilogue
    (*ok, I know you wanted violence or something but come on, I'm not that good
    at killing and chasing away scenes I think*)
    Two weeks had passed since Tori had come home and only a week since
    Dominic had come home to her that night and whispered softly into her ear
    as he thought she lay sleeping. "Your safe now." before kissing her
    cheek and falling into a deep sleep beside her. Ever since then, things
    had been back to nearly perfect. Well, as perfect as you got with a set
    of two brothers and sisters. But everyone was like family and Angela
    and Tori began spending more and more time togather. She had become like
    a sister to Angela and Mia and the girls were almost never apart, except
    for when Dominic claimed time with Tori.
    The two had grown so close in such a very short time. So much
    had happened and so much had been pushed onto their lives. Tori had had
    thoughts during the first week about leaving sometime, but Dominic would
    sit her down each and everytime and show her exactly why she wasn't going
    to leave. She was amazed at how many different things he could be at once.
    Soft but hard, sweet but tough, it all astounded her and everytime he
    kissed her, her mind dropped a little more of the need to run, until the
    day she woke up, two weeks later and the epiphany of her lifetime came
    to her. It had taken Dominic almost two hours to get her to stop crying
    enough to tell him what was wrong.
    "They're gone Dom...." she sobbed softly, as he wiped tears
    from her eyes.
    "Who's gone Tor?"
    "Mom and Dad. They're dead. I never really believed I'd lost
    them, that they were still there with me, but....they're not."
    she sighed.
    "Oh." Dom said quietly. "What brought this on Tori?" he asked,
    pulling her onto his lap and stroking her arm.
    "I woke up and tried to think of a reason that we needed to leave.
    I-I've always done that to distance myself..you know, I mean I always
    wanted to think of myself as the person to make the decision that we
    had to go......and I couldn't think of one."
    "And that made you sad?" he asked almost incredously.
    "No...no..you see...the reasons were always that there WAS
    something better....something like my father and mother and their
    life out there. But there's not. I'm always looking for some way to
    get a little peice of that life back and I've never been able to find
    it." she paused and looked up at him. "Until now."
    Dominic was confused. "What do you mean?"
    Tori looked down a little then around in thought as she
    spoke and explained. "You see, my parents had this kinda of love
    that I thought noone else in the world could ever have. It was
    special..just for them. And not just that, they had this connection.
    This way of knowing each other and I guess that may have been what I
    was looking for...a connection." she looked back up at him.
    He pointed to himself and her, back and forth. "Like the one you
    and I have." he understood.
    "Yeah."
    "So does this mean your gonna stay?"
    "Yeah.
    "For good?"
    Tori smiled and kissed him. "For good."
    
    THE END
    ____________________________________________________________________

  


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